The issue prompted consultations in Parliament and even visits by scientists to the sites, especially in search of a massive contamination event.

At the beginning of the week, the Assembly for the Water of the Santa Lucia River made public its concern over the “great fish mortality” that had been reported in the basin for the past month, El Observador reported.

“We urgently requested the authorities to take the necessary measures and precautions in the event of a sanitary emergency, and that the Emergency Committee be activated,” they said.

Concern was also expressed by the “frenteamplista” congressman, Enzo Malán, for the “fish mortality in the Negro River in front of Mercedes”, departmental capital of Soriano.

After several analyses, technicians from the Ministry of the Environment and scientists from other institutions reached the same conclusion: the deaths are due to the “freezing” that has been registered in the water since June.

Guillermo Goyenola, PhD in Biological Sciences and researcher of the Department of Ecology and Environmental Management of the Centro Universitario Regional del Este, agreed.

He pointed out that the mortality events are occurring mainly on shad, a species that is not very tolerant to low temperatures.

The phenomenon is also reported in Argentina, in the lower Paraná river basin, Goyenola said.

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