Greek authorities are scrambling to clear hundreds of thousands of dead fish that washed into the tourist port of Volos this week, creating a foul-smelling blanket of carcasses across the water. The fish, displaced from their usual freshwater habitats by last year’s catastrophic floods, were swept into the port, causing alarm among residents and local businesses.
The spectacle of silver-scaled fish carpeting the port and the overwhelming stench have prompted swift action. Authorities are racing to remove the rotting bodies before the smell spreads to nearby restaurants and hotels, threatening the local tourism industry.
City council member Stelios Limnios described the scene as spanning kilometers, noting that the fish were not only along the coastline but also dispersed throughout the Pagasetic Gulf, a popular area lined with holiday homes.
On Wednesday, trawlers were deployed to drag nets across the water, collecting more than 40 tonnes of dead fish in just 24 hours. However, the cleanup is far from complete.
Volos mayor Achilleas Beos expressed frustration during a press conference, blaming the government for not taking preventative measures that could have stopped the fish from reaching the port. He warned that the rotting fish could pose a significant environmental threat to other marine life in the region.
Experts point to the historic floods in Thessaly last year, which inundated rivers and lakes further north. They explained that the lack of a protective net at the river’s mouth allowed the fish to be swept out to sea, where they likely died from the saltwater.
“They failed to do the obvious—install a protective net,” Mayor Beos criticized government services.
The environment ministry has not responded to requests for comment, and local prosecutors have launched an investigation into the incident.
This disaster is yet another sign of the extreme weather that has plagued Greece in recent years, which scientists link to climate change. Higher temperatures and erratic rainfall have led to devastating wildfires and floods, with far-reaching consequences for the environment and economy.
Dimosthenis Bakoyiannis, a beach restaurant owner 10 km from Volos, reported an 80% drop in turnover this summer due to the decline in tourists following the floods.
"Closing the barrier now is pointless," Bakoyiannis lamented. "The tourist season is already over."
