Agriculture and Environment Minister says its detection in Lower Lough Erne is "another significant pressure to our already beleaguered freshwater system".

A highly invasive species of mussel which can cause extensive environmental damage to waterways has been detected in Northern Ireland for the first time.

The quagga mussel is a non-native mollusc from eastern Europe which breeds extremely quickly, often out-competing and replacing other mussels.

Quantities of quagga were collected during routine surveys in Lower Lough Erne and on 10 December the species was formally identified through DNA analysis.