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Fire department deployment: Hundreds of fish in danger in the Wilsterau!
The Wilster fire department rescues hundreds of fish in the Wilsterau after a lack of oxygen was alerted. Causes and measures in focus.
Fire department deployment: Hundreds of fish in danger in the Wilsterau!
In Wilster, in the Steinburg district, the volunteer fire department recently had to intervene in a dramatic incident: several hundred fish were fighting for survival, gasping for air and some of them were already lying dead in the water. The alarm was raised at midday on Monday after a concerned pedestrian discovered the situation by the water. The fire brigade acted immediately and pumped water into the Wilsterau to increase the oxygen content and enable the fish to survive. Mayor Maren Hayenga (CDU) reported that the fish are now swimming normally again and the situation has stabilized, which brought relief to residents and anglers.
A week ago there was a similar scenario in Hamburg, where thousands of dead fish were floating on the surface of the Elbe. These included bream, smelt and zander, among others. The water quality was monitored by measuring stations on the Undine information platform; This showed a worrying rise in water temperature up to 22 degrees Celsius and a dramatic drop in oxygen levels to just 2 to 3 mg/l. This is far below the minimum that fish desperately need to survive. Algae growth, promoted by solar radiation and agricultural nutrient inputs, further exacerbated the situation.
Causes of fish deaths
Fish deaths often occur as a sign of environmental stress and can be caused by various factors. The main cause remains the reduced oxygen content in the water, which is caused by drought, overpopulation or high water temperatures. Diseases and parasites can also be responsible and garbage and agricultural runoff are often identified as active causes of oxygen deficiency. A striking feature are the algae blooms, which are caused by high nutrient concentrations and often lead to a lack of oxygen. What is clearly visible here is the fact that most fish species have only a low tolerance for fluctuating environmental conditions.
This phenomenon is not new in the Elbe; Similar incidents have also occurred in previous years and have increased in frequency recently. The impact of this year appears particularly dramatic, especially since local anglers have had to cancel their trips due to these incidents. Specialists are required to investigate the exact causes of recurring fish deaths and, if necessary, take measures to improve water quality so that such tragic scenarios can be avoided in the future.
The relationships are complex and often difficult to predict. What remains particularly important is the rapid response of the fire brigade and environmental authorities, who work in the interests of the ecosystem. The survival of fish is inextricably linked to the health of our waters.