16.08.2022, Brandenburg, Schwedt: Tote Fische haben sich im deutsch-polnischen Grenzfluss Westoder, nahe dem Abzweig vom Hauptfluss Oder, auf der Wasseroberfläche gesammelt. Mitarbeiter vom Nationalpark Unteres Odertal, Ranger der Naturwacht Brandenburg, Mitarbeiter vom Landkreis Uckermark und freiwillige Helfer sind seit den Morgenstunden mit dem einsammeln von toten Fischen im Gebiet des Nationalparks Unteres Odertal beschäftigt. Seit mehren Tagen beschäftigt das massive Fischsterben im Fluss Oder die Behörden und Anwohner des Flusses in Deutschland und Polen. Das Fischsterben in der Oder ist nach Angaben der polnischen Umweltschutzbehörde wahrscheinlich von einer Wasserverschmutzung durch die Industrie ausgelöst worden. Foto: Patrick Pleul/dpa +++ dpa-Bildfunk +++

In connection with the fish kill in the Oder, Poland’s government speaks of false reports from Germany. “Attention, another fake news is being spread in Germany!!! pesticides and herbicides. In Poland, the substance was tested and found below the limit of quantification, i.e. H. with no impact on fish or other animals, and no connection to fish kills,” Poland’s Environment Minister Anna Moskwa wrote on Twitter on Saturday evening.

The substances were not detected in fish, Moskva said in another tweet, “An unjustified attack on agriculture. First industry, now agriculture? What’s next?”

In the past few days, masses of dead fish have been discovered and collected in the Oder on the Polish and German side. The exact cause has not yet been clarified.

Brandenburg’s Ministry of the Environment had previously announced that high concentrations of a pesticide containing the active ingredient 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid had been found in samples taken at the Frankfurt (Oder) measuring point between August 7th and 9th. However, it can be assumed that the detected dose was not immediately fatal to fish. The active ingredient is used, for example, to combat weeds.

Poland’s national conservative PiS government is under pressure because Polish authorities were hesitant to respond to the first indications of the fish kill.

In Germany, too, complaints were made that Polish authorities had not complied with the internationally agreed information chains.