What is the cause of the fish kills in the German-Polish border river Oder? A high salt content, low water and a type of algae are said to be possible causes. The news ticker.
- 200 tons of fish carcasses from the Oder: Experts see several causes.
- Fish deaths in the Oder: A meeting of the German-Polish environmental council should provide insights.
- This news ticker about fish kills in the Oder is updated regularly.
Bad Saarow – The pictures from the German-Polish border are shocking. Ton after ton of dead fish have been recovered from the Oder for days. Up until a few days ago, that was around 200 tons of fish carcasses on both sides of the river. And the exact cause of the environmental catastrophe is still not clear. Experts suspect that a high salt content in the Oder is a key reason why a toxic species of algae was able to grow strongly. Combined with low water and the currently persistent high temperatures, these factors could be the trigger for the mass death of fish.
Poland wants to present the first laboratory results from the Oder
Against the background of the natural disaster, a meeting of the German-Polish environmental council is now taking place in Bad Saarow, Brandenburg. According to Federal Environment Minister Steffi Lemke, the aim is to clarify the causes of the fish kill. The Greens politician also wants to ensure “that such a catastrophe cannot happen again”. Lemke and Axel Vogel, Brandenburg’s Environment Minister, also hope to be able to engage in an intensive exchange and lay the foundation for bilateral cooperation for the future of the Oder.
Poland’s Environment Minister Anna Moskwa would even like to present the first water test results from various laboratories. The main focus is on the salt input. Axel Vogel says: “To this day we don’t know how it got into the Oder and in what quantity.”
Poland insists on expanding the Oder – Germany is against it
Another point is causing discussions: the expansion of the river, which is being pushed above all by the Polish side. Federal Environment Minister Lemke is in favor of stopping the expansion: “Against this background, in my opinion, the expansion of the Border Oder is extremely problematic and must now be stopped.” In view of the climate crisis and its effects, she calls for a different scope with the resource water. Axel Vogel emphasizes the same thing. His country appealed against the Polish environmental assessment report, which was rejected.
