Mucilage density decreases in Marmara Sea thanks to cleanup efforts

ÇANAKKALE

The marine mucilage density has decreased in the southern shores of the Marmara Sea thanks to the efforts in line with a massive cleanup campaign launched by the authorities to eliminate the problem.

Residents of coastal provinces were able to fish on shores, swim in the sea and take a walk on beaches after the mucilage cleaning works that have been going on for about four weeks finally paid off.

The landlocked sea fell victim to the slimy substance over the past few months. Mostly engulfing areas near the shore, mucilage threatened to suffocate marine life and dealt a blow to fishing and swimming activities.

The authorities last month announced a 22-point action plan to clear a surge of mucilage, which covers parts of the Marmara Sea in the country’s northwest. In line with the plan, the teams collected over 10,500 cubic meters of mucilage from the sea over the month.

The latest state of marine mucilage, which has almost disappeared on the surface along the southern coast of the Marmara Sea, was also observed from the air with a drone from the same angles.

It was observed that the teams succeeded in cleaning mucilage formed on the surface of the Çanakkale and Balıkesir shores, but it continued to be seen from time to time on the southern bays.

Adnan Ayaz, an academic from Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University (ÇOMU), said that the mucilage density decreased in the southern shores of the Marmara Sea, but that the water was still turbid.