A previous balance recorded around 100 tons, but the impact on the fauna of the Order River was much greater, and may be linked to industrial pollution.
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“The Oder is currently the scene of an environmental catastrophe that will harm this precious ecosystem for a long time,” lamented German Environment Minister Steffi Lemke.
A third of the dead animals were removed on the German side, in the Brandenburg region. The specific causes of the environmental tragedy have not yet been determined, but they point to a rare toxic microalgae – “prymnesium parvum” – as the cause of fish deaths.
The species, also called “golden algae”, is common in estuaries and normally develops in waters with a saline level lower than the sea. Their proliferation in the fresh waters of the Oder indicates an abnormal salinity in the river, who can be attributed to industrial contamination.
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The first alarms of mass death of fish in the Oder were made by Polish inhabitants and fishermen since July 28th.
In recent years, the Oder River was known for being clean, with around 40 species in its waters.
(With AFP)
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