STORY: Marine slime reappears in Türkiye's Sea of Marmara, raising environmental concerns
SHOOTING TIME: Dec. 19, 2024
DATELINE: Dec. 20, 2024
LENGTH: 00:01:20
LOCATION: ISTANBUL, Türkiye
CATEGORY: ENVIRONMENT

SHOTLIST:
1. various of Istanbul
2. various of a mucilage layer in the Sea of Marmara
3. various of divers swimming in the mucilage layer in the Sea of Marmara

STORYLINE:

A thick layer of marine slime, or mucilage, has reappeared in Türkiye's Sea of Marmara, raising fears of a repeat of the 2021 crisis that threatened to devastate marine life, local media reported Thursday.
   
Researchers from Istanbul University found a layer of the slimy substance at a depth of just 22 meters, local broadcaster NTV said. They had expected to find it much deeper, around 300 meters below the sea surface.
   
Separately, scientists studying Kocaeli Bay last week also found mucilage closer to the sea surface, at depths of 10-15 meters, NTV reported. Underwater footage confirmed the problem persists.
   
The mucilage, first seen in large quantities in 2021 in this area, can suffocate marine life and disrupt the entire ecosystem of the Sea of Marmara.
   
Melek Isinibilir Okyar, dean of Istanbul University's Faculty of Aquatic Sciences, warned the situation is similar to 2021 and that inaction could lead to a rapid collapse of the sea, impacting both its ecosystem and surrounding areas.
   
"The Sea of Marmara is asking us to hear its cry for help," Okyar, who is involved in the research, said on social media platform X. "The mucilage formation 20 meters below the sea surface is alarming scientists like me."
   
Experts attribute the phenomenon largely to domestic and industrial waste.
   
Türkiye launched a major cleanup effort in 2021 with a 22-point action plan, which initially reduced the mucilage.

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Istanbul, Türkiye.
(XHTV)