Spanish fish hit by drought

by time news

In the Tagus, or at least in its part that crosses the region of Castile-La Mancha, fishermen have not found a bug at the end of their hooks for a long time. “These fish disappeared two thousand years ago in the main course of the river. It was a very delicate species whose survival depended a lot on the quality of the water,” says Graciela G. Nicola, professor of biology at Madrid’s Complutense University.

Whose fault is it ? Drought, high heat, or pollution? “It’s a bit of all of these things at once, all these factors act together”, explains the teacher.

Lack of oxygen fatal for fish

“We have an ecosystem where the fish have adapted over the years, but also basins that have been modified by the dams. The problem is that we consume more water than we can afford. Between this imbalance and prolonged periods of drought, there is little water left in the dams,” assures Rafael Seiz, technician of the water program at the WWF, an association for the defense of the environment.

High temperatures also lead to greater evaporation, which causes the amount of water to decrease. “The death of fish occurs through eutrophication (lack of oxygen). High temperatures and evaporation contribute to increase this eutrophication which is often caused by agricultural and livestock pollution. Algae are multiplying and native species are disappearing,” explains Beatriz Larraz, from the University of Castilla-La Mancha. She is part of a group of researchers working to protect the Tagus.

Agriculture leads to overconsumption of water

With 80% of the water consumed going to agriculture, Spain is overexploiting its water resources and increasing pollution, denounce environmentalists. “We cannot be Europe’s vegetable garden and stable: European leaders must take action”, protests Celia Ojeda, head of biodiversity at Greenpeace.

The year 2022 is the fourth driest year since 1961 in Spain. “The land is dry, yes, but we have huge dams and we shouldn’t have any problems if the water is well managed. But instead, we have an economy that draws water to the limit and therefore suffers in hot weather,” analyze Beatriz Larraz.

Therefore, “Fish adapt or disappear in favor of exotic species. In some places where the bug was abundant, you find more carp”notes with regret Rafael Seiz, of WWF.

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