Pagasetic Gulf

Authorities in the city of Volos have lifted a ban on swimming at beaches in the wider area, imposed after thousands of dead fish appeared along the coastline.

Volos Port Authority said swimming is now permitted at all beaches from Agrias, east of the city, to Agios Georgios Kynigon, in the west.

To an unsuspecting passer-by, almost nothing would have suggested that just a week ago, the city of Volos in central Greece had resembled a dystopia, with thousands of dead fish floating in the waters of the Pagasetic Gulf. However, as you approach the Bourboulithra wetland west of the port, a lingering unpleasant smell serves as a reminder of the recent disaster.

Thessaly authorities are nearing completion of cleanup efforts in the Pagasetic Gulf after removing nearly 280 tons of dead fish.

Vice-Governor Anna Maria Papadimitriou said the port, beaches and coastline around Volos have been cleared, and the area is returning to normal.

The Central Port Authority of Volos has banned swimming in a large section of the city's coastline due to dead fish from Lake Karla washing into the Pagasetic Gulf.

The restriction covers beaches from Agrias Beach in the east to Saint George of Kynigos Beach in the west, including popular spots such as Anavros and Alykes.

The image of millions of fish filling the port of Volos and the surrounding areas of Pagasetic Gulf represents perhaps the greatest ecological disaster since the “Daniel” storm hit Thessaly on September 4, 2023. This storm, along with “Elias” later that month, caused massive damage.

The hundreds of thousands of dead fish that flooded the Pagasetic Gulf off the eastern coast of mainland Greece in recent days died of natural causes and not of poisoning by an industrial effluent or some other toxin, an Environment Ministry official said on Saturday.

The Municipality of Volos warned the public on Friday against swimming in eight of its beaches to protect public health, after thousands of dead fish appeared at the city's coast and port.

The warning concerns the beaches Soutrali in Agria, Plakes, Anavros, Xenia, Pefkakia (municipal coast of Volos), Alykes, Amfanon and Amaryllis.

An operation has begun to remove the hundreds and thousands of dead fish from Lake Karla and the Pagasetic Gulf in Volos, central Greece.

Greek authorities have started collecting hundreds of thousands of dead fish that poured into a tourist port in the central city of Volos this week after being displaced from their usual freshwater habitats during flooding last year.

Translation:

The repulsive images of dead fish from Lake Karla ending up in the Pagasetic Gulf near Volos have made headlines in international media over the past 24 hours. These reports describe the causes of the phenomenon, the ensuing conflict, and the severe impact this issue has on local businesses.