Mass fish die-off in trout farms across Bulgaria

High temperatures and low water levels have led to a mass fish die-off in trout farms, BNT reports. According to the Association of Fish Products Producers in Bulgaria, the problem affects farms across the country, as in some places the damage reaches 80 percent.

“This is the first time we have measured such high water temperatures – up to 24-25°C, which is due to the low water level. Due to the low water speed, rivers are heated up by the sun and this is the main reason for the fish to die,” says Plamen Mochovski, who collects kilograms of dead fish every morning in his fish farm in the village of Trigrad in the Rhodopes. He estimates his loss so far at 1 ton and 900 kg.

The Association of Fish Products Producers in Bulgaria has already informed the Ministry of Agriculture about the problem and has officially requested assistance for trout farms under the De minimis program. The response from the State Fund Agriculture is expected in the autumn.

Editor: Diana Tsankova

Publication in English: Alexander Markov

Photo: bntnews.bg