Authorities have mobilised across six government departments after dozens of dead fish were found at Athalassa Lake in Nicosia, with early indications pointing to a sudden rise in water levels rather than disease or pollution.
The incident was observed on Sunday and has prompted an immediate response from the Department of Forests, Water Development Department, Fisheries Department, Veterinary Services, State General Laboratory and Department of Environment.
Department of Forests spokesman Glaufkos Kyriakou told the Cyprus News Agency that “the sudden rise in water mixed up the mud at the bottom and affected the fish,” adding that the phenomenon “does not appear to be due to disease or pollution.”
Around 80 dead fish had been recovered as of Sunday, with more continuing to be retrieved. Most are carp weighing between two and three kilograms, with smaller fish of around one kilogram also among the dead.
Kyriakou said staff had been called back to duty since Sunday to collect the dead fish and prevent the phenomenon from spreading to other living organisms in the lake. An emergency meeting involving all agencies was under way, he added, to examine the causes and determine next steps.
All departments are collecting water and fish samples for laboratory analysis, with results expected in approximately one week. Teams have been patrolling the lake perimeter since Sunday.
Kyriakou noted that a similar incident had occurred in 2024 without causing damage to the reservoir’s ecological balance. “The number of dead fish is small and there are plenty of live fish, as well as turtles and birds that are not affected,” he said. The public would be informed once work was complete, he added, and there was currently no cause for concern.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment also issued a statement saying it had “immediately given instructions to the relevant departments to investigate and manage the incident.” The ministry said its goal was “the immediate identification of the causes and containment of the phenomenon,” and that a public update would follow once the investigation was complete.
(information from CNA)