River pollution and dead fish: One Voice takes a stand
From the regions of Haut-Rhin to Maine-et-Loire via Loiret, numerous cases of river pollution have been recorded this year. Illegal dumping and toxic waste are contaminating French rivers. These phenomena alter the oxygen levels, leading to the inevitable death of fish. Though the causes are still unknown, One Voice is filing a complaint and calling on the authorities to put an end to these pollutions that have been swept under the carpet.
Thousands of fish asphyxiated
In Saint-Cyr-en-Val, in June 2025, chemical pollution caused the Morchêne stream to turn an intense blue colour. An investigation opened by the French Office for Biodiversity detected a significant drop in the water’s oxygen level. The consequences were immediate: in the days that followed, around a hundred fish were found floating belly-up, having died silently.
In the Haut-Rhin region, downstream from Colmar, polluting discharges reached the Ill river, again leading to a drop in oxygen levels. Over several kilometres nearly 1,000 fish were found dead. More recently, on 15 September, in the Moine river in Cholet, a foul smell led a passer-by to discover the corpses of chub, roach, carp and bream.
Complaint filed to identify the culprits and alert the authorities
The sources of these discharges have not yet been identified. It could be nearby factories or leaks from the pipes of sewage treatment plants. One Voice is filing a complaint to make the voices of these sentient beings with fins heard.
With various cases of pollution reported –no fewer than five waterways were affected in the Grand-Est region alone in May– and studies showing high and widespread contamination of freshwater fish with PFAS (1), it is high time to take action.
We are filing a complaint to hold the perpetrators accountable and to shed light on the origin of these illegal discharges. More than ever, in the face of political inaction, we are calling on the State, prefects and mayors to protect the fish and their natural habitats.
1. PFAS, also known as “forever chemicals” because of their extreme persistence in the environment, are several thousand chemical compounds used in a wide range of consumer products (frying pans, etc.).