Odra

Control catches of fish were performed at nearly 300 testing points in various locations throughout Poland. The research was carried out by 13 expert teams in September and October 2022. On the Oder and Parnica Rivers, specialists carried out catches at 15 measurement and control points distributed along the river, from the Odra Ciechowice site to the Odra border in Szczecin. Fish of native and protected species were examined and, following the principles adopted for ichthyological monitoring, were returned to the water after evaluation.

Nearly 62,000 fish were examined as part of the nationwide monitoring. The most numerous groups were gudgeons, roaches, brook minnows, perches, bleaks, and chubs. Also, nearly 4 thousand partially protected amur bitterlings and spined loaches were caught.

Data for the Oder River show the presence of 53% of fish compared to data from 2014-2021

As part of the 2022 ichthyofauna monitoring on the Oder River and the Parnica River, a total of nearly 5,500 fish. Two species dominated - roach and perch. There were also numerous gudgeons, bleaks, chubs and breams. Specimens of protected species, such as bitterlings and spined loaches, were also recorded in the control catches. In total, 30 species of fish were identified. The experts compared the data with the monitoring results from previous years. Between 2014 and 2021, at each of the checkpoints on the Oder River, an average of 578 fish were caught. Following the occurrence of the phenomenon of mass fish die-offs in the river, the average number of fish was 309 for each measurement and control point.

Subsequent ichthyological research and work on the restoration of the Oder River ecosystems

The Stanisław Sakowicz Inland Fisheries Institute in Olsztyn is conducting further ichthyological research. It is working on a recovery plan for the Odra River ecosystems, including the creation of a gene bank and a restocking system with species typical of the Oder River. Work is carried out by a team of hydrobiologists, ichthyologists and geneticists, with the participation of scientists from Poland and abroad. In parallel, the institute's experts are also working on providing more favourable conditions for fish, including, among others, designating the so-called refugia, i.e. places that will allow aquatic organisms to refugia in an emergency. Work is also underway on integrated environmental monitoring of rivers in Poland.

Ichthyological monitoring with control fisheries is performed annually within the standard state environmental monitoring. Tests are carried out following EU directives, which strictly define the frequency and scope of analyses. The occurrence of molluscs and crustaceans is also analysed. More information on the state environmental monitoring is available on the Chief Inspectorate of Environmental Protection website. Details of the research and a full version of the report: Assessment of surface water bodies for ichthyofauna for 2022.

Information on activities related to the situation on the Oder River, including the results of the studies, is available on the Odra portal.