In the fight against the spread of sea slime, Turkish President Erdogan is launching a major campaign. But an expert warns of a dangerous method.
Istanbul – The sea slime threatens the underwater life of the Turkish Marmara Sea. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan wants to counter this with a major campaign that he announced in a speech to his AKP party on Wednesday (June 9th, 2021). The Turkish government uses several methods to get rid of the sea slime.
“By declaring the entire Sea of Marmara a nature reserve, using the most advanced technology in our wastewater treatment systems and taking all other necessary steps, we will clean the Sea of Marmara,” Erdogan told his AKP party on Wednesday (09.06.2021). “We are also in the process of finalizing our strategic plan for a permanent solution to the slime problem within three months,” he added.
Erdogan: Turkey starts big sea cleanup campaign
On June 8th, Turkey started its largest and most comprehensive sea cleanup campaign to date to save the Sea of Marmara from a slime plague. The campaign launched by Erdogan follows a 22-point action plan announced by the Ministry of Environment and Urban Planning on June 6th. According to Minister Murat Kurum, the Sea of Marmara will remain a protected area until the end of this year.
As part of the campaign, suction trucks are supposed to bring slime to treatment facilities. The Turkish microbiologist Ipek Karaböke of the Sunshine Coast University in Australia pointed out, however, that the Erdogan campaign against the slime can only be won with bacteriophages – viruses that “eat” bacteria. In the past, bacteriophages had been shown to be effective in fighting sea slime in Australia. She also warned against the method of using scoop nets. “The scent nets can cause worse situations. Since they are not sterile, the bacteria can spread over a larger area, ”Karaböke explained in an interview with Turkish media.
Turkey: sea slime makes fishing difficult
The sea slime is the overgrowth of microscopic algae called phytoplankton. The thick layer of mucus contains a variety of microorganisms and is caused by the rise in sea water temperature due to global warming, calm seas, and pollution. Among other things, the sea slime could be a threat to the fish population and other marine life in the Sea of Marmara. For local fishermen: inside, the tough slime makes fishing more difficult. Even vacationers: inside cannot enjoy the warm waters of the Marmara Sea as usual (David Suárez Caspar)
Rubriklistenbild: © YASIN AKGUL/dpa
