Marine mucilage reappears on Istanbul coast

ISTANBUL

Marine mucilage, a thick layer of glop that invaded Turkey’s Marmara Sea last year, has reappeared off Istanbul’s Maltepe coasts, while experts noted that the natural phenomenon may affect the region this summer again.

Aerial images captured mucilage layers on the surface of the Marmara Sea during an academic examination, however no presence of mucilage was seen or found in the underwater images taken in the same area.

Mustafa Sarı, the dean of Onyedi Eylül University’s Maritime Faculty and who often dives into the Marmara Sea to examine environmental damage, said that all conditions were ready for the formation of mucilage in the sea due to excessive algae growth.

He also noted that mucilage formations in the sea should be followed carefully.

Meanwhile Şükrü Karatepe, a chief advisor to the president, said that the biggest responsibility for the mucilage problem in the Marmara Sea belongs to the Istanbul Municipality.