Europe’s summer drought threatens fish in rivers, lakes and farms

In northern Serbia, a dwindling side channel of the Danube River has left small boats stranded on cracked ground, while fish circle in the shallow waters. Fisherman Dusan Jovanovic lamented that the remaining water, full of juvenile fish, is too little and too warm at over 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit), threatening the entire fish population.

Persistent drought and scorching heat across Europe have damaged ecosystems and businesses, from Slovenia's lake to fish farms in Bosnia, the Czech Republic, Romania, and Hungary. The fish industry alone has suffered estimated damages in the millions of euros, exacerbating the already grave issues of strained energy and water supplies, decimated crops, and losses in river traffic and trade.

Hungary, where 99% of its land is currently under severe or extreme drought, has witnessed almost 3,000 hectares of fish ponds drying up, causing the deaths of nearly 280 metric tons of fish at around 20 farms. This loss translates to a revenue loss of 1.3 billion forints ($4.2 million) for the country's Agriculture and Food Economy Ministry.

Producers warn that replacing lost fish could take years, with operators forced to drain and divert water between ponds to save the fish. In Romania, where fish farmers, especially those cultivating carp, have been struggling with the effects of severe droughts in 2023 and 2024, Catalin Platon, president of ROMFISH National Association of Fish Producers, explained that the production cycle for carp is three to four years.

The previous droughts that prioritized agriculture over fish water-use have left the fish farmers with no water, causing long-term damage.