Over 190 tonnes of dead fish recovered from the Oder | Abroad

On the German side, according to the estimate of the Minister of the Environment of the Land of Brandenburg, 36 tons have been removed from the water and destroyed so far. The exact cause of the ecological disaster has not yet been determined. The Polish and German authorities assume that several factors played a role. One of them, according to scientists, is the rapid spread of a species of toxic algae. Further research is needed to determine how this may have happened.

In a laboratory in Brandenburg, a high concentration of pesticides was found in water samples taken between August 7 and 9 in Frankfurt an der Oder, about 100 kilometers east of Berlin. It is the weedkiller 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid.

Although the poison obviously does not belong in surface waters and threatens life there, experts do not believe that this is the only direct reason for the massive fish kills. However, it is possible that upstream the pollution of the Oder by pesticides was much more serious than that measured in Frankfurt.

No promotions in Mecklenburg

Reports have come from the northern state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern that no anomalies have been found in the Stettin (Szczecin) lagoon, into which the Oder flows. The Polish announcement that live specimens were seen again on Saturday in places where thousands of dead fish had recently been found was also encouraging. Due to a lack of oxygen, they swam to the surface. An attempt is made to get more oxygen into the water with pumps.

Mecklenburg is developing plans to draw more attention to environmental issues in and along the Oder through citizens’ initiatives. On Saturday evening, in the village of Kienitz, the river was lit up with red floodlights as a warning. In addition, a call was launched on September 4 to form a human chain on the banks.