Oxygen depletion in Danish waters is reaching critical levels, potentially making it the worst in 23 years. A new report from the Department of Ecoscience at Aarhus University indicates a concerning ecological situation.

The affected area is already significant. The area experiencing oxygen depletion is approximately the size of Funen, while the area with severe oxygen depletion is about the size of Lolland.

The report highlights that the situation is comparable to last year, with the oxygen-depleted area remaining consistently large in both July and August. Furthermore, there has been a substantial increase in oxygen depletion between July and August.

The current oxygen depletion levels rival those of 2024, which marked the worst levels in 22 years, second only to the record year of 2002. There are concerns that this year could surpass previous records.

According to the report, the oxygen depletion stems from a combination of warm weather and nitrogen levels. This creates ideal conditions for algae blooms, which consume oxygen in the water.

While strong winds could potentially alleviate the situation, the current weather forecast offers no such hope. There are no strong winds or storms predicted in the near future.

This trend threatens marine life. Oxygen depletion has already been linked to instances of dead fish, particularly in severely affected areas like Haderslev Fjord.

Several areas, including the southern Little Belt, Aabenraa Fjord, Flensburg Fjord, and the South Fyn Archipelago, are experiencing severe oxygen depletion across a large portion of their water area and water column.

The newly released report is the first in a series of four reports expected in the coming months.