Europe's summer drought and heatwave have caused significant damage to the fish farming industry. This was reported by infohub.kz.

In the northern Serbian city of Novi Sad, the water level in a branch of the Danube River has dropped sharply, leaving fish stranded in shallow pools. Fisherman Dusan Jovanovic said the water temperature exceeds 30 degrees Celsius, and there is a risk of mass fish mortality.

The persistent drought and heat this summer have affected a lake in Slovenia, a branch of the Danube in Serbia, and fish farms in Bosnia, the Czech Republic, Romania, and Hungary. The fish industry has suffered losses in the millions of euros, adding to the costs caused by energy and water issues.

In Hungary, 99% of the territory is under severe drought conditions. Of the country's 27,000 hectares of fish ponds, 1,588 hectares have dried up, and nearly 280 tons of fish have died at 20 farms. This has caused an estimated loss of 1.3 billion forints ($4.2 million).

In Romania, fish farmers, especially carp breeders, are still suffering from the droughts of 2023 and 2024. According to Catalin Platon, president of the ROMFISH National Association of Fish Producers, the carp production cycle lasts three to four years, so the losses from 2023 are still being felt.

In the Czech Republic, fish farms are taking emergency measures: reducing feeding, aerating the water, and draining ponds when necessary. Jan Sokolik, a technician at the Rybarstvi Trebon fishery, said plans for the large ponds are still being made.

Veljko Budjen, a trout farmer near Trebinje in southeastern Bosnia, said the hot summer negatively affects his business in the mountainous region. Trout require cold water, so production must be reduced in summer. He suggests adding liquid oxygen to the water during the summer months.

At Lake Pristava in Slovenia, firefighters pumped 8 million liters of water to prevent fish suffocation. Danijel Fras, from the Pesnica Lenart Fishing Association, expressed surprise that any fish survived.

In Serbia, fishermen believe the fish in the Danube branch need to be relocated. Jovanovic noted that this summer's temperatures are record-breaking.