The article reports that persistent drought and extreme heat across Europe this summer have severely impacted fish populations in rivers, lakes, and fish farms. In northern Serbia, a side channel of the Danube River has receded into small ponds, leaving juvenile fish in dangerously low and overheated water levels. Fisherman Dusan Jovanovic warns that if the fish begin to die, they will all perish simultaneously due to the extreme conditions.
The fish industry has suffered significant damage, estimated in the millions of euros, exacerbating existing issues with energy and water supplies, crop losses, and disruptions to river traffic and trade. Hungary, where 99% of the country is under severe or extreme drought conditions, has seen 1,588 hectares of fish ponds dry out, resulting in the death of nearly 280 metric tons of fish and a revenue loss of 1.3 billion forints ($4.2 million). Similar challenges are faced by fish farmers in Romania, the Czech Republic, and Bosnia, where emergency measures such as reducing feeding, aerating ponds, and pumping water into lakes are being implemented to mitigate the crisis. Source