Severe drought culprit of fish deaths in Turkey’s longest river

ISTANBUL

Rising in the steep mountains of Eastern Anatolia and reaching the Black Sea by collecting water from many streams as it passes several provinces, Kızılırmak, Turkey’s longest river, has been on the agenda with mass fish deaths seen in recent weeks.

Locals noted that mass fish deaths might be linked to drought, which destroys habitat and food supplies for fish, and pollution that might also have played a role, while the results of an investigation by the authorities revealed that these suspicions were not unfounded at all.

Taking samples from the river and measuring the temperature of the water, officials declared that there was no evidence of poisoning in the results of both water and dead fish samples.

Pointing out that fish deaths are caused by the lack of oxygen in the water due to the sudden increase in air temperature, Fisheries and Aquaculture Branch Manager Durdu Akdağ said that fish deaths might continue and even increase due to the high temperature seen in the region.

Akdağ said that the deaths were natural and urged residents not to worry.