It appears we're dealing with a fish disaster in Arendsee, part of Altmarkkreis Salzwedel. Experts suspect that the high temperatures and lack of oxygen might be causing this recent wave of fish deaths, referred to as 'fish mortality'. Upon examining the deceased fish, authorities noticed a severe invasion of parasites and a bacterial infection. Thankfully, there were no indications of harmful animal diseases, thereby reducing any initial human health concerns.
The heavy parasite infestation could possibly be aggravated by the high temperatures and the stress or weakened immune systems of affected fish. Information from the Leibniz Institute for Freshwater Ecology's monitoring station suggested the presence of a hypoxic zone in June, located between 10 and 12 meters beneath the surface.
Fishkillings in bodies of water like ponds and lakes in Saxony-Anhalt aren't unusual. Arendsee, with its impressive 50-meter depth, is Saxony-Anhalt's deepest natural lake and one of the largest deep lakes in Northern Germany. The district has foreseen a summer stagnation period during the summer, leading to the formation of three temperature and oxygen layer segments.
The district anticipates the fish crisis to eventually subside in the fall when these distinct water layers recombine. The deceased fish are consistently collected and removed. The majority of the deceased fish are young pike, a popular food source in the Arendsee area.
Over the past five years, Saxony-Anhalt has experienced approximately 70 instances of fish fatalities. Low water levels in ponds and lakes, as well as oxygen deficiency, have frequently been the leading causes of these events.
The high temperatures and oxygen deficiency may exacerbate the fish's susceptibility to parasites, contributing to the severe fish mortality resulting from the low oxygen levels. The discovered hypoxic zone in June may have impacted the fish's survival due to insufficient oxygen.
Further Reading:
As mentioned before, oxygen deficiency in water bodies can be attributable to various factors, such as algal blooms, pollution, climate change, and human activities. However, to fully understand the specific causes of the oxygen deficiency and its impact on fish mortality in the Arendsee lake, one should consult local environmental reports or scientific studies related to this particular location. The provided search results do not contain detailed information on this topic.
