Environmentalist warns of recurring fish die-offs in Iraq's southern marshes

MAYSAN, Iraq — Maysan, Iraq — An environmental activist has warned that mass fish deaths in Maysan province and Iraq's southern marshes have occurred every year for the past three years, blaming reduced water flow and falling oxygen levels for the recurring crisis. Murtaza al-Janabi said temporary improvements during rainy and flood periods have allowed fish populations to recover, but the marshes then dry up as flows stop, concentrating thousands of fish into narrow channels. Large fish accumulations have been reported in the al-Amsan Canal, the Ez River and the Central Marshes, sharply reducing oxygen levels and triggering widespread die-offs, al-Janabi said. He noted that local activists documented the situation about a month ago and alerted relevant authorities, but calls for continued water allocations went unanswered. Al-Janabi said the current die-off is concentrated in the Central Marshes, the al-Amsan Canal, the Ez River and surrounding waterways, and warned the problem could spread to the Huwayzah Marsh if the Ministry of Water Resources does not provide emergency water allocations. Footage of large numbers of dead fish in the al-Amsan Canal in the Hayr subdistrict of al-Mujarr al-Kabir in Maysan has circulated on social media, renewing attention to the impact of Iraq's drought crisis on the southern marshes and their fish populations.