Does swimmers’ urine kill German fish?
by Anorak | 13th, May 2012
DOES urine kill fish? Well, yes, obviously if you stick a goldfish in a pub’s urinal it will die. But expects say the deaths of hundreds of fish in Eichbaum lake, Hamburg, Germany, is down to swimmers’ urine.The wee is enjoyed by plants, triggering an algal bloom that makes the water uninhabitable for the fish.Manfred Siedler is the spokesman for the Hamburger Angling Association:
“Swimmers who urinate in the lake are introducing a lot of phosphate. We’re calculating half a litre of urine per swimmer per day.”
We’re not told how Siedler makes his calculations, nor where fishermen go to the toilet. And, in any case, the local Urban Development and Environment Authority says it’s not the swimmers’ fault – it’s the ice skaters. Not because the skaters defecate and wee on the ice, rather, as BSU spokeswoman Kerstin Graupner says:
“The ice-skaters make a noise that wakes the fish out of hibernation. Then they can’t breathe and freeze. That’s a very common phenomenon.”
Blame it on the Bolero. Adding:
“It is very rich in fish.”
So. What we have are people urinating freely and ready frozen fish. It’s an intriguing puzzle, and one dear old Captain Birdseye may care to investigate…
Posted: 13th, May 2012 | In: Strange But True Comment | TrackBack | Permalink
