“Glitsa” threatens the Sea of ​​Marmara – Experts warn

A thick, slimy layer of “sea mucus” spreads to the Sea of ​​Marmara, south of Istanbul, threatening marine life and fisheries.

According to scientists, climate change and pollution have contributed to the proliferation of organic matter, known as “marine mucus”, which contains a wide variety of microorganisms and grows when nutrient-rich wastewater ends up in seawater.

Images from a drone over the Marmara Sea show cargo ships and ferries at sea, which is covered by a layer of gray matter that can cause suffocation in marine life, according to Reuters.

“It simply came to our notice then. This is the result of household waste and its pollutionSays director Tahsin Ceylan, who is creating a documentary about the impact of this marine “slime”.

“All you can do is not throw your waste in the sea. I think this is not worth it in nature “, says.

Experts link this increase in “marine mucus” to high sea temperatures due to climate change, as well as to the discharge of raw sewage into the sea.

Environment Minister Murat Kurum said it was a serious problem and a team of 300 people was assessing dozens of sites in the Marmara Sea, as well as water treatment plants and pollution sources.

According to him, the government will discuss with all parties on Friday and will announce an action plan for the protection of the sea on Sunday.

Hydrobiologist Levent Artuz warned that such ecological problems would continue unless there was a change in human behavior. “As long as we continue with these practices, it does not make much sense to expect different results. “We will continue to encounter disasters like this,” he stressed.