The images of the waters off of the central port city of Volos are eerie, as the Pagasetic Gulf seems to have ‘disappeared’ from thousands of dead fish floating on the surface, while the stench is making the situation unbearable. Similar scenes are reported in other coastal sites in the same Gulf: Agria, Alykes, Kritharia, and Nea Anchialos.
Experts attribute the phenomenon to the thousands of tons of water from Lake Karla and the surrounding areas that were released into the Pagasetic Gulf via the stream of Xirias.
When freshwater fish come into contact with the sea water, they die — a phenomenon not seen for the first time, experts say.
This situation has prompted the intervention of the public prosecutor, who initiated the investigation into the quality of the seawater and the inspections conducted by accredited laboratories. Additionally, the microbial load at the lake’s outflow, the potential for pollution and the exact cause of the fish deaths are also to be checked.
The Mayor of the city of Volos, conducted an inspection of the area on Tuesday, noting that the issue with the dead fish unfortunately extended beyond the shoreline, affecting the entire Pagasetic Gulf.
The Regional Governor of Thessaly has implemented an emergency plan to address the environmental crisis in the Gulf.
The plan includes the deployment of fishing vessels for the removal of the dead fish from the Pagasetic Gulf, while there will also be a net installation at the mouth of the Xirias stream to prevent any more fish from entering the Gulf.
(ΒΑΣΙΛΗΣ ΟΙΚΟΝΟΜΟΥ/EUROKINISSI)
