Experts are still looking for the cause of the fish deaths in the Oder. Experts in Brandenburg have now determined excessive pesticide values. Is that why the environmental catastrophe happened?
Potsdam/Warsaw – A week and a half after the death of fish in the Oder became known, the extent of the environmental catastrophe is becoming increasingly clear. According to information from Saturday, the fire brigade in Poland has so far recovered almost 160 tons of dead fish from the Oder and a smaller river.
According to an earlier report by the Ministry of the Environment, there were at least 36 tons in Brandenburg. In the search for the cause, the authorities have shown excessive pesticide values. It is still unclear why the fish died.
There could be several causes
Brandenburg’s Environment Ministry announced that samples taken at the Frankfurt (Oder) measuring point between August 7th and 9th found high concentrations of a pesticide containing the active ingredient 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid. However, it can be assumed that the detected dose was not immediately fatal to fish. The active ingredient is used, for example, to combat weeds. The “Tagesspiegel” first reported on it.
The Ministry continues to assume that the environmental disaster had several causes. The excessive concentration of the pesticide over several days certainly had an impact on animals, plants and microorganisms. It is possible that the pesticide was present in even higher concentrations in the upper reaches of the Oder and was already heavily diluted at the Frankfurt (Oder) measuring point.
The mass death of fish in the border river Oder became known on the German side on August 9th. The authorities in Germany recently accused Poland of having informed too late. Helpers in both countries have recovered tons of dead fish in the past few days. Finding the cause is difficult. Scientists say a toxic species of algae could be a factor in fish kills. Various other substances are also being studied.
Citizens’ initiative wants to become active
As a spokeswoman for the fire brigade headquarters in Poland told the German Press Agency on Saturday, a total of 158 tons of fish were collected. The majority of this falls on the Oder. The small river in which dead animals were also discovered is the Ner, which has its source near Lodz and flows into the Warta. He has no connection to the Oder.
According to the Brandenburg Environment Ministry, 67 tons of fish waste were registered for incineration by last Thursday. Spokeswoman Frauke Zelt made this information on request on Saturday. However, the number does not necessarily mean that so many fish have already been collected.
Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania announced on Friday that no abnormalities had been found when examining samples in the German part of the Szczecin Lagoon, into which the Oder flows.
Meanwhile, in Brandenburg, a new citizens’ initiative wants to draw attention to the death of fish. On Saturday evening, the river on the banks of the village of Kienitz will be illuminated red as a warning sign with headlights, spokeswoman Steffi Bartel said. “We also want to give the people on the Oder a forum to express their fears and concerns about this environmental catastrophe.” The initiative called for a human chain on the Oder for September 4th. dpa
