Europe’s summer drought has brought the continent’s fishers and aquaculture industries to the brink of collapse, as scorching temperatures above 30 degrees Celsius and severe water shortages parch rivers, lakes, and farms from Serbia to Hungary, threatening entire aquatic ecosystems and causing millions of euros in economic losses.
The Shriveled Channels of the Danube and Northern Serbia
Small boats stand idle on cracked ground in a shriveled side channel of the Danube River in northern Serbia, where the water has receded into a couple of shrinking ponds under pressure from extreme drought and heat. Here in Novi Sad, fish circle in dangerously shallow waters. “This is all we have, these two little ponds that are full of juvenile fish,” fisherman Dusan Jovanovic told the Associated Press, noting that water temperatures have climbed past 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit).
The stakes for local operators could not be higher. “If they start to die, they will all die at once,” Jovanovic warned. Persistent drought and scorching heat this summer have ravaged ecosystems and businesses across the region, striking a blow not just in Serbia, but across fish farms in Bosnia, the Czech Republic, Romania, and Hungary. The fish industry has been hit especially hard, with damage estimated in the millions of euros and dollars, compounding existing crises involving energy and water supplies, devastated crops, and disrupted river traffic.
Hungary’s Desertification Crisis and Catastrophic Pond Losses
Hungary is facing a dry spell, with approximately 99% of the country’s lands currently under severe or extreme drought conditions according to the national meteorological service. Desertification, a process where vegetation recedes because of high heat and low rainfall, now threatens much of the Great Hungarian Plain. Among the hardest hit are the country’s roughly 27,000 hectares (67,000 acres) of fish ponds.
The Hungarian Agriculture and Food Economy Ministry reported that persistent heat and water shortages have led to 1,588 hectares (3,924 acres) of those ponds drying out entirely. This has caused the deaths of nearly 280 metric tons of fish across 20 farms, with estimated revenue losses reaching 1.3 billion forints ($4.2 million). Producers note that replacing the lost fish stocks could take years. In early August, the Hungarian Aquaculture and Fisheries Inter-branch Organization reported that operators were sometimes forced to drain one pond entirely just to divert its remaining water to save fish in another.
Multi-Year Damage and Emergency Measures Across Central Europe
The current crisis does not exist in a vacuum. For fish farmers in Romania, particularly those cultivating carp, this year’s blistering heatwave follows severe droughts in 2023 and 2024. Catalin Platon, president of the ROMFISH National Association of Fish Producers, explained that because carp operate on a three-to-four-year production cycle, what was lost in 2023 has maintained an impact every year since. During previous droughts, water-use policies prioritized irrigation for agriculture, which Platon noted “left us with no water for the fish.”
Meanwhile, fish farmers across the Czech Republic have scrambled to implement emergency measures. Operations have included reducing or suspending feeding to limit oxygen consumption, actively aerating ponds, or draining them preemptively when necessary. Jan Sokolik, a technician at the Rybarstvi Trebon fishery, noted that some marginal ponds low on water have already been fished, while operators begin planning interventions for larger water bodies. Czech Fishing Association officials emphasize that while sustained rainfall could ease the immediate crisis, long-term structural measures are urgently needed to retain more water in the landscape.
Sustaining Trout Production in Southeast Bosnia
In the mountainous terrain of southeast Bosnia, a region famous for its trout restaurants, farmers are fighting simply to keep their businesses afloat. Veljko Budjen, who owns a trout farm near Trebinje, pointed out the biological limits facing cold-water species. “Trout is a cold water fish, which requires cold water with a lot of oxygen,” Budjen explained, noting that the extreme summer conditions force producers to slash both production rates and feeding schedules just to survive the season.
| Country / Region | Primary Species | Reported Impact & Losses |
|---|---|---|
| Hungary | Various pond fish | 1,588 hectares of ponds dried out; ~280 metric tons dead; 1.3 billion forints ($4.2 million) in revenue losses. |
| Romania | Carp | Lingering multi-year production cycle deficits stemming from severe droughts in 2023 and 2024. |
| Czech Republic | Pond fish | Emergency measures deployed, including suspended feeding, pond aeration, and early harvesting of marginal ponds. |
| Bosnia (Trebinje) | Trout | Forced reduction in overall production and feeding schedules to manage high water temperatures and low oxygen levels. |
As nations and businesses grapple with widespread unpreparedness for this year’s crisis, policymakers are forced to rethink long-term strategies.
