Rhine alarm: Mysterious octopuses threaten fish population in the region!

Rhine alarm: Mysterious octopuses threaten fish population in the region!

More and more dead fish with strange injuries on the Rhine are currently attracting the attention of conservationists and scientists. Eels are particularly affected, their bodies are deformed and severely injured. These devastating finds, known as “Knakaale”, are the result of an insidious problem affecting the waterways between the Netherlands and Germany. Loud T Online This term is used in Holland and refers to the devastating damage that poses health problems to the fish species.

The eels' injuries are usually due to collisions with ship propellers or the turbines of hydroelectric power plants. Ines Plagemann from the nature conservation organization NABU explains that the low water level in the Rhine is part of this because it drastically limits the fish's habitat. The water is concentrated in a narrow channel, which significantly reduces the animals' chances of escaping these dangers. The danger posed by pumped power plants also increases the problem, as reported by WDR shows.

Volunteers and data-driven solutions

To combat monitoring this worrying situation, volunteers have launched a project called “The Rhine Connects”. The aim of the project is to collect reliable data that will form the basis for protecting fish stocks. The helpers check assigned sections of the Rhine every two to four weeks in order to document the finds and enter them into a central database. On June 28th there will be an action day during which the first results will be presented and new interested parties will be introduced to the work, according to information from T Online.

The low water situation also brings other negative aspects into play. Biologist Schneider emphasizes that the water temperatures in summer in particular are much higher in dammed tributaries such as the Moselle and Main, which promotes the formation of blue-green algae. These can release toxic substances that can be dangerous not only for aquaculture but also for humans. This has already been documented in the Moselle since 2017 and is a topic that also comes up in connection with low water levels Mirror reported.

These findings make it clear that the situation on the Rhine is more than just a local problem. Protecting fish stocks is not just a concern for environmentalists; it affects us all. The use of volunteers and targeted data collection are steps in the right direction to find long-term solutions.