• Thursday, 04 July 2024

Czech river crews clearing tons of dead fish after algae bloom

Czech river crews clearing tons of dead fish after algae bloom
Prague, 21 July 2022 (dpa/MIA) — Fishers and firefighters are in the midst of what will likely be at least a week of cleaning up fish carcasses after a deadly algae bloom in the south-eastern Czech Republic. A police spokesperson confirmed that the clean-up was going on near Břeclav. It is estimated that there are dozens of tons of dead fish that have to be cleaned out of the Thaya river. The fish fell victim due to the explosive spread of blue-green algae, or cyanobacteria, which was aided by recent temperature spikes. As the algae spread, they consume more and more oxygen in the water until there is none left for the fish, who suffocate. Additionally, the river waters hit 24 degrees Celsius due to the heat. Workers say they are pulling carp, pike perch and catfish from the waters.