Rare toxic algae behind fish deaths in river Oder, say researchers

Rare toxic algae behind fish deaths in river Oder, say researchers

By July in the river that runs along part of Germany's border with Poland, mystifying authorities from

Source: the peninsula qatar

8/19/2022

July in the river that runs along part of Germany's border with Poland, mystifying authorities from

Credit: REUTERS/Lisi Niesner

A large overgrowth of toxic algae linked to industrial pollution is the most likely culprit behind mass fish deaths in the river Oder, a German research institute said.

Tonnes of dead fish have been found since late July in the river that runs along part of Germany's border with Poland, mystifying authorities from both countries who say they have been working "flat out" to figure out its cause.

The Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB) said on Friday that Prymnesium parvum was identified in all the samples taken from the river recently.

"When this specific type of algae is present in very large quantities, as is the case in the Oder samples, very high toxin concentrations must also be assumed," said Elisabeth Varga from the University of Vienna, who led the analysis of the IGB samples.

She said a direct connection between the algae and the death of fish and molluscs in the river could be assumed.