The fish kills in the Oder and most recently in the Saale show how fragile the ecosystems in and on the waters are. The drought exacerbates the problem. The state anglers' association expects these cases to increase.
Halle (dpa/sa) - The state anglers' association in Saxony-Anhalt assumes that fish deaths will increase in the future. The drought ensures that the concentration of toxic substances is higher when the amount of water dwindles, said Gerhard Jarosz, spokesman for the Saxony-Anhalt State Anglers' Association. The pollution for the animals in the water increases as a result, without absolutely more pollutants getting into the waters.
However, the cases of fish kills also reveal environmental violations that were previously overlooked due to the high degree of dilution, Jarosz said. In any case, it is difficult to identify the culprit. Only in the smallest cases of water pollution could a culprit be identified and sanctioned. Compensation payments are extremely rare, Jarosz said.
The consequences of the pollution could be very different, according to the angler. When toxins are introduced, there would be a damaging wave that could be shorter or longer.
Jarosz sharply criticized the insufficient taking of water samples. In Saxony-Anhalt, one does not see oneself well prepared for the prosecution of illegal discharges or pollution. The efforts made to take the samples were far from sufficient and would have to be intensified.
Last week, hundreds of dead fish were discovered in the Saale near Bernburg in Saxony-Anhalt. The Saxony-Anhalt Anglers' Association then filed a complaint with the public prosecutor's office against persons unknown. Shortly thereafter, the local fishing club recovered about 300 dead fish. It is estimated that 3,000 dead fish are assumed, according to the association.
