Enlarge image
The fire brigade tried to catch dead fishermen in the Oder with a floating barrier (photo from August 16)
Photo: Marcin Bielecki/EPA
In the case of fish deaths in the Oder, there is a cautious all-clear: "The acute crisis is over," said Environment Minister Axel Vogel (Greens) in the Environment Committee of the Brandenburg State Parliament in Potsdam.
The values for oxygen and chlorophyll are declining and developing towards the normal values.
"We haven't had any dead fish for a few days now."
According to Vogel, daphnia – small water crustaceans that were used for control purposes – are no longer dying either.
This is also an indicator of relaxation in many places.
However, the exact cause has still not been finally clarified.
Since the beginning of August, tons of dead fish have been recovered from the German-Polish border river.
According to Federal Environment Minister Steffi Lemke (Greens), hundreds of chemical substances could be responsible for the environmental catastrophe.
Experts believe high salinity in the river is a major reason, coupled with low water, high temperatures and a toxic species of algae.
A final report by an expert group on the causes should be available by the end of September.
Even if the situation eases, experts expect the environmental catastrophe to have long-term effects.
The biologist Jörn Gessner recently told SPIEGEL: "Many fish died, including large ones, as well as snails and mussels.
The effects of the incident will be seen for some time to come."
bbr/dpa
