Millions of dead fish hurt tourism in central Greece as investigation ensues

Aug 29, 2024

Jack Aylmer Anchor

By Jack Aylmer (Anchor), Evan Hummel (Producer), Jack Henry (Video Editor)

The scenic countryside of Greece is dealing with an enormous and stinky problem that’s driving away tourists and hurting business. Millions of dead fish, as far as the eye can see, are washing up near the town of Volos.

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Seafront businesses dependent on tourism say that revenues on Thursday, Aug. 29, had dropped 80% since the mass die-off and they say that government inaction is to blame.

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Authorities said that they have dredged more than 100 tons of fish carcasses from the water near the Port of Volos. Scientists say that the mass deaths are likely the result of a combination of climate change and improper water management.

The fish are thought to have been forced downstream after widespread flooding in the region. Experts say that extreme heat this summer caused water to evaporate. Fish then began to die due to a lack of oxygen and toxins seeping into the water from agricultural lands.

However, the fish swam into the waters months ago and critics argue that the local government should have gotten them out before they died. Now, commercial fishing vessels and excavators have been called in to scoop up the dead fish.

Meanwhile, the mayor of Volos accused the regional authority of moving too slowly in the cleanup process and said he previously warned of the problems created by the flooding of farmland.

Meanwhile, the city’s chamber of commerce is suing over damages to local business. Greece’s Supreme Court prosecutor, Georgia Adeilini, also announced an investigation on Thursday to determine how much culpability the regional authority has in the environmental catastrophe.

Tags: Crime, Death, Economy, Fish, Greece, Pacific Ocean, Tourism, Wildlife

[JACK AYLMER]

THE SCENIC COUNTRYSIDE OF GREECE IS DEALING WITH AN ENORMOUS STINKY PROBLEM THAT’S DRIVING AWAY TOURISTS AND HURTING BUSINESS.

CHECK OUT THE IMAGES COMING OUT OF THE TOWN OF VOLOS.

AS FAR AS THE EYE CAN SEE – MILLIONS OF DEAD FISH.

SEAFRONT BUSINESSES DEPENDENT ON TOURISM SAY REVENUES HAVE DROPPED 80 PERCENT SINCE THE MASS DIE-OFF AND THEY SAY GOVERNMENT INACTION IS TO BLAME.

AUTHORITIES SAY THEY’VE DREDGED MORE THAN 100 TONS OF FISH CARCASSES FROM THE WATER NEAR THE PORT OF VOLOS.

SCIENTISTS SAY THE MASS DEATHS ARE LIKELY THE RESULT OF A COMBINATION OF CLIMATE CHANGE AND IMPROPER WATER MANAGEMENT.

THE FISH ARE THOUGHT TO HAVE BEEN FORCED DOWNSTREAM AFTER WIDESPREAD FLOODING IN THE REGION.

EXPERTS SAY EXTREME HEAT THIS SUMMER CAUSED WATER TO EVAPORATE. FISH THEN DIED DUE TO A LACK OF OXYGEN AND TOXINS SEEPING IN FROM AGRICULTURAL LANDS.

BUT THE FISH SWAM INTO THE WATERS MONTHS AGO AND CRITICS ARGUE THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT SHOULD HAVE GOT THEM OUT BEFORE THEY DIED.

THEY DIDN’T.

AND NOW, COMMERCIAL FISHING VESSELS AND EXCAVATORS HAVE BEEN CALLED IN TO SCOOP UP THE FISH.

THE MAYOR OF VOLOS ACCUSES THE REGIONAL AUTHORITY OF MOVING TOO SLOWLY AND SAYS HE PREVIOUSLY WARNED OF THE PROBLEMS CREATED BY THE FLOODING OF FARMLAND.

THE CITY’S CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IS SUING OVER DAMAGES TO LOCAL BUSINESS.

WHILE GREECE’S SUPREME COURT PROSECUTOR ANNOUNCED AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE DIE-OFF THURSDAY TO DETERMINE HOW MUCH CULPABILITY THE REGIONAL AUTHORITY HAS IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL CATASTROPHE.

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FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS– I’M JACK AYLMER.