A toxic algae could be largely responsible for the death of more than 100 tons of fish in the Oder river which crosses Germany and Poland, according to the authorities of the two countries.

“Examinations conducted so far have confirmed the presence of” toxic “prymnesium parvum” algae, Polish Deputy Environment Minister Jacek Ozdoba said on Twitter.

Abnormal salinity of the river

On the German side, the latest results from "the Leibniz Institute and the University of Vienna confirm the suspicion that the mass development of a toxic algae could be responsible for the death of fish", added a spokesperson for the ministry. of the German Environment, Andreas Kübler, at a regular press conference in Berlin.

The spokesperson, however, stressed that the causes explaining such a massive death of fish and mussels were “multiple”.

The incriminated micro-algae, also called "golden algae", is common in estuaries and normally develops in brackish waters with a lower salt content than the sea. If it could have proliferated to this extent in the fresh waters of the 'Oder, this indicates an abnormal salinity of the river, which could have industrial causes, pointed out the spokesperson.

The high salt level may also have been favored by low water levels and high temperatures, experts said.

Berlin and Warsaw are trying to establish the cause of this massive pollution of the Oder, the extent of which was revealed in mid-August.

Both sides suspected early on that chemicals played a role.

The Polish Minister of the Environment, Anna Moskwa, however, later clarified that “none of the samples tested so far” had “shown toxic substances”.

Measures too late

The disaster has somewhat strained relations between the two countries.

Germany has thus accused Poland of having delayed informing it of the extent of the pollution.

On Saturday, Anna Moskwa warned of “a new fake news broadcast in Germany”, after the Minister of the Environment of Brandenburg had hypothesized that pesticides were in the water.

The Polish Minister drew a parallel with previous statements by the authorities of this Land according to which traces of mercury had been spotted in the water, an assertion which had not been verified.

In Poland, the government has come under fire for not taking swift action.

The first reports of mass fish kills in the Oder came from Polish locals and anglers as early as July 28.

In recent years, the Oder was known to be a relatively clean river, with around 40 species of fish living there.

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