More than 100 tons of dead fish pile up in Greek port after climate-related mass die-off

VOLOS, Greece — More than 100 tons of dead fish have been collected in and around the central Greek port of Volos following a mass die-off linked to extreme weather fluctuations, authorities said Thursday.

Dead freshwater fish littered the bay, 320 kilometers (200 miles) north of Athens, and nearby rivers after water levels rose from last year’s floods, followed by months of severe drought.

The deaths have affected local businesses along the seafront, with commercial activity down by 80% in the past three days, according to the Volos Chamber of Commerce.

Regional authorities have hired fishing boats and excavators to remove dead fish from the sea and load them onto trucks bound for an incinerator.

The fish came from Lake Karla in central Greece, a body of water drained in the early 1960s and restored in 2018 to combat the effects of drought.

“There are millions of dead fish from Lake Karla and 20 kilometres to the east,” Anna Maria Papadimitriou, regional deputy governor of central Thessaly, told state television.

“Right now, a major effort is underway to clean up the millions of dead fish that have washed up on shorelines and riverbanks… an effort that involves multiple contractors,” he said.

Water levels rose sharply last fall during a deadly storm that caused widespread flooding in central Greece, but have since receded due to scant rainfall in subsequent months and successive heat waves this summer.

The mayor of Volos has lashed out at the regional authority, accusing it of acting too slowly, while the city’s Chamber of Commerce said it was taking legal action to claim damages after business activity fell by about 80% in the past three days.

“Businesses along the seafront, particularly in the catering sector, are suspending operations,” the chamber said in a statement. “A strong stench along the seafront is repulsive to residents and visitors alike…dealing a heavy blow to tourism in Volos.” ​​___ Gatopoulos reported from Athens, Greece