Recently, the Sea of Marmara near Istanbul (Turkey) has been covered with a huge layer of mucus, causing serious damage to marine life and fishermen in this country.
Recently, the beaches in Turkey appeared a patch of mucus (sea snot), which is increasingly spreading over the water. The widespread mucus layer on the Turkish coast causes serious damage to the country’s marine life and fishermen. (Source: Reuters) Sea snot is a green mud that is formed naturally when algae are over-nutriented due to hot weather and polluted water environment. The phenomenon was first detected in Turkey in 2007 and then in the Aegean Sea near Greece. The latest outbreak in the Sea of Marmara near Istanbul is believed to be the largest in history. (Source: Reuters) Experts believe that the large amount of mucus that has appeared recently is due to a combination of environmental pollution and global warming, which accelerates the growth of algae that cause the slime. Meanwhile, President Erdogan said that the problem of untreated sewage being discharged directly into the sea was the cause of this outbreak of marine mucus. (Source: Reuters) When algae grow out of control in the spring, as we’ve seen this year, they block sunlight and cause declines, says biology professor at Istanbul University Muharrem Balci. oxygen for fish and marine life. (Source: Reuters) This mucous membrane covers the sea surface like a canvas. After a while, they sink, covering the seabed ecosystem and harming many species of creatures. When this process is over, they will appear to smell like a spoiled egg. This phenomenon can cause poisoning to sea clams and creatures such as crabs. (Source: Reuters) Professor Bayram Ozturk of the Turkish Marine Research Agency said that due to the overgrowth of the mucus layer, several species are endangered, including oysters, mussels and starfish. “This is a real disaster,” he said. (Source: Reuters) According to environmental engineer Cevahir Efe Akcelik, mucus could cover the sea during the summer if authorities do not take urgent measures. Studies show that mucus stays not only on the surface but also at depths between 25-30 meters. (Source: Reuters) Divers report that large numbers of fish and other species in the affected area are being wiped out by suffocation. This phenomenon has a significant impact on the lives of fishermen. Boats passing through the Sea of Marmara had to navigate through the gray mud, while some fishermen were unable to fish because the mud clogs their engines and nets. (Source: Reuters) Mehmet Soyolcu (43 years old), a fourth generation fisherman in the Sea of Marmara, said that in the past, it took two hours to pull a fishing net at sea, but now it takes ten hours, not counting the cost of fuel. materials and other operating costs. Every day, the operating costs are getting higher and higher, and the fish are less and less. (Source: Reuters) Some fishermen will raise prices to cover their losses, but that won’t help either because people fear the seawater might contaminate the fish in Marmara. At the fish market, more and more customers avoid buying fish and seafood since information about the mucus layer appeared. This makes the fishermen lose income from fishing, life becomes more difficult. (Source: Reuters) Istanbul, Turkey’s largest city with about 16 million inhabitants, and five other provinces, factories and industrial centers border the sea. As a result, this outbreak has had a severe impact on the ecosystem and fisheries in the region. (Source: Reuters) The Sea of Marmara is a sea that stretches 281 km from the Northeast to the Southwest and is 80 km wide at its widest. This sea is connected to the Black Sea through the Bosphorus, also known as the Istanbul Strait in the Northeast. President Erdogan fears the problem will be very serious if the mucus spreads to the Black Sea. (Source: Reuters) The Turkish government has deployed a team of experts to examine the source of pollution in the sea. Workers are now trying to use nets to remove mucus, but their efforts have so far been largely ineffective. (Source: Reuters) Not only around the Sea of Marmara, but the adjacent Black Sea and Aegean Sea regions were also affected by this mucus outbreak. (according to Reuters)
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