Numerous dead fish and a dead porpoise cause horror on Rügen. The fish washed ashore. The cause is still unclear, but there are several theories.
Bremen/Rügen — At the weekend (6/7 May), walkers on the coasts of Rügen had to endure a terrible picture: Numerous dead fish and a porpoise washed up on the beaches. So far, there are only theories about the reasons. For example, strong winds of the last few days could be responsible for the fish death. It is also conceivable that fishermen have disposed of their bycatch. Experts are studying the case in more detail.
| Island | Rebuke |
| State | Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania |
| Inhabitant | 64,376 (as of 2021) |
| Capital | Bergen on the island of Rügen |
| Area | 926 km² |
Rügen: Dead porpoise and dozens of dead fish — "Like on a battlefield"
Especially in the north, many dead fish were found. An observer told the Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland (RND) that it looked "like a battlefield" on the north coast of Dransk near Kreitz. At 300 meters, the dead fish were scattered. These were hornfish, flatfish, garfish, eels and a porpoise. The fisheries inspectorate of Rügen also took a look at the site, as the dpa reported.
+A washed-up porpoise on the North Sea. (Symbolic image)
© Andrew Bailey/IMAGO
According to the Schwerin Ministry of the Environment, strong winds at the end of last week were probably responsible for the fish death. The theory is to be supported by the discovery of predominantly dead flatfish. These fish stay at the bottom of waters, as the RND wrote. The proportion of large mussels also supports the assumption. According to the Ministry of the Environment in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, there are no indications that the incident is the fault of the fishing industry.
Porpoise and thousands of fish die on Rügen — cause still unknown
The state anglers' association is not convinced by this theory. "Since a wide variety of fish species and even porpoises are affected, we suspect intensive water pollution. We firmly reject the idea that the cause of the fish mortality could be a storm. Because flounders and eels are extremely tough and do not fall victim to a storm," says Mario Voigt from the Department of Environmental, Nature and Species Protection of the RND.
The porpoise is to be picked up and examined by employees of the Stralsund Oceanographic Museum. The animals already showed strong feeding marks, the ministry said. There are no indications that fishing, for example, was the reason for the increased occurrence of dead animals. Another theory suggests that the fish could be bycatch disposed of by a fishing boat. This refers to animals that have no value for fishermen and are simply disposed of back into the sea. Most of them die in the process.
Visitors from the North Sea and Baltic Sea are currently being warned. This is because the black-blue oil beetle spreads and can be poisonous. (VK with dpa)
Category list image: © Andrew Bailey/IMAGO
