Tons of dead fish ended up in the port of Volos and other areas, beaches and shores, of Pagasetic Gulf, central Greece, in the last couple of days, spreading an incredible stench and setting on alarm local authorities, residents and tourists.
Angry restaurant, cafes and beach bars owners along the coast are frustrated to see the dead fish washed ashore to keep their customers away and they demand back the money they paid to municipality at the start of the summer season for the use of coast and beaches, local media magnisianews.gr reported on Monday.
Locals speak of tourist who had booked for vacations and left after they posted pictures of the dead fish on social media.
The fresh-water fish came to Pagasetc Gulf via the Xiria stream from the Lake Karla and the surrounding areas further in the North.
The fish died when the came into contact with the salty sea water. According to local media taxydromos.gr, samples of fish that have been examined showed that they did not died from some infection but from lack of oxygen.
After a visit to the sluice gate on Monday, mayor of South Pelion, Michalis Mitzikos, blamed the opening of the sluice gate of the Xirias stream facilitating the transport of the fish and of dirty waters to Volos port and beaches.
He urged for the immediate closure of the gate to protect the entire bay of Pagasetic Gulf mainly for reasons of public health
At an emergency meeting with local authorities on Monday, Thessaly regional governor, Dimitris Kouretas, said the issue is under the jurisdiction of the port of Volos, but his office is cooperating closely with the port company to have dead fish collected and burned.
At the meeting, Kouretas will propose that the port company place a protective net at the exit of the Xiria stream in order to prevent the transfer of freshwater fish into the sea.
Damage to a sluice gate and pumping station during storms Daniel and Elias in 2023 have also contributed to the phenomenon. The storms recreated much of Lake Karla, which was mostly drained in the 1960s.
Negligence, lack of proper maintenance, government indifference and broken promises for “quick intervention in the infrastructure” after storm Daniel in September 2023, could not but result in contamination and pollution, with all the disastrous consequences for human health and the environment in the whole Pagasetic Gulf.
Magnisia Chamber of Commerce speaks of “an unbelievable ecological and economical disaster.”
PS Before the dead fish phenomenon and when I was in south Pelion and Volos in July, locals had warned me about the pollution of Pagasitikos Gulf, saying that the storms have brought many dead animals, next to construction material, refrigerators and whatever else one may think of into the sea.
A woman sitting next to me on the bus from Athens to Volos she drew my attestation to the situation as we were coming close to the capital of Magesia Prefecture. “You know why you see no local people at the beaches? Because they are afraid the sea is polluted and dirty.”
That is what happens when you let idiots run a place.