Mr Flanagan said: "During Question Time in the Assembly, the issue of fracking was raised once again and I asked the DCAL Minister Caral Ni Chuilin about the potential impact that fracking would have on our fish stocks and fisheries given the vast quantities of water that would need to be used in the process.
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"It is quite clear from information that Tamboran have provided to date that they feel they can just take as much water as they want from our waterways such as Lough Melvin and Lough MacNean, which play a significant role in our local ecological system and in attracting visitors to our county.
"Lough Melvin has a very diverse and delicate balance of fish, particularly trout, and it is the only lough in the world where five different species can be found.
"If we were to simply allow the draining of our lakes, rivers and streams to facilitate fracking, then we would be, without question, doing serious damage to our fish stocks and fisheries and this is without even considering the risk for potential contamination to our water supply from chemicals.
"I welcome the support from the DCAL Minister as she highlighted her own concerns about fracking, particularly around the lowering of water levels and the potential risk of water contamination.
"It is now crucial that these warnings are heeded before it is too late and any damage is done."
(CD/GK)
