Phytoplankton Mucilage Area In Marmara Sea Significantly Shrinks - Turkish Official

ANKARA (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 07th July, 2021) The mucilage area made up of phytoplankton in the Marmara Sea has decreased after clean-up activities, Omer Celik, the spokesman of Turkey's ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party), said on Wednesday.

In June, Turkey launched a full-scale operation on cleaning the sea of the mucilage caused by high water temperature and pollution by untreated sewage. According to scientists, although the mucilage has covered the sea's surface in the past as well, its area was not so broad.

The incident threatensled the sea's biodiversity, blocking access to oxygen for aquatic animals.

"11,000 cubic meters of mucilage were collected. There is a serious decrease [of its area], it started to return to its natural condition in seven provinces. It is necessary to solve the problem with the sources of this pollution," Celik said.

The authorities fined 140 enterprises for violating environment laws, the AK Party spokesman added.