A mass die-off has occurred on the coast of and around the Greek port city of Volos, with more than 100 tonnes of dead fish washing up, the Associated Press reported Thursday, citing Greek authorities.
The fish lived in Lake Karla in central Greece, which was restored in 2018 after being restored to drought-relieving conditions in the early 1960s, The Associated Press reported. Reported.
Climate-related die-offs bring more than 100 tonnes of dead fish to Greek port https://t.co/70QtLUugS0
— Associated Press (@AP) August 29, 2024
“There are millions of dead fish over an area of 20 kilometres east of Lake Karla,” the region's deputy governor, Anna Maria Papadimitriou, told state media, according to the Associated Press. “A large-scale operation is currently underway to clean up the millions of dead fish that have washed up on the shoreline and riverbanks. Several contractors are involved in this work.” (Related article: “The river is effectively dead”: How environmentalists' salmon conservation efforts led to the deaths of “hundreds of thousands” of salmon.)
Local authorities used fishing trawlers and excavators to retrieve the dead fish from the sea, which was then reportedly transported for incineration.
The city of Volos' chamber of commerce said commercial activity along the coast had fallen by 80 percent in the past three days because of the fish kill, according to the Associated Press. The mayor reportedly criticized local authorities for responding slowly.
The city's chamber of commerce has threatened legal action, claiming damages from a decline in trade, according to the media. “Businesses along the coast, especially the food service industry, are now closed,” a chamber of commerce statement said. “The strong odour along the coast is unpleasant for both residents and tourists and has dealt a severe blow to tourism in Volos.”
Volos is known as a large and “beautiful” Greek city with one of the most used ports in Greece. According to Visit Greece. Fish die-offs could be caused by a variety of factors, including disease, a chemical spill, or low levels of oxygen dissolved in the water. According to to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.
