* Photos: Anadolu Agency (AA)
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In the face of ongoing mucilage or 'sea snot' problem in the Sea of Marmara in northwestern Turkey, a campaign to clean up the sea was ushered in with an event held in the Caddebostan coast in İstanbul yesterday (June 9).
The event was attended by Minister of Environment and Urbanization Murat Kurum, İstanbul Metropolitan Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu and Governor of İstanbul Ali Yerlikaya, among several other people and journalists.
As reported by the state-run Anadolu Agency (AA), Minister Kurum, in a speech at the event, announced that Turkey has launched the "largest and most comprehensive sea cleaning mobilization" ever to save the Sea of Marmara from a plague of excessive algae.
"We will save our Sea of Marmara, we will not leave it at the mercy of its fate," reiterated the Minister, adding that they will declare the entire Marmara Sea a 'Protected Area' until the end of 2021.
The related declaration is under consideration, and will later be submitted to President and Justice and Development Party (AKP) Chair Recep Tayyip Erdoğan for approval, according to Kurum.
Officially ushering in the campaign in Caddebostan, Murat Kurum said that the project's aim is "eliminating the mucilage problem that threatens our fish, all sea creatures, and all ecological life."
As part of the mobilization, all seven cities on the coast of the Sea of Marmara, including İstanbul along with Tekirdağ, Çanakkale, Yalova, Bursa, Balıkesir, and İzmit, are taking part in the cleanup efforts. Officials also began the cleaning of mucilage reaching the Gulf of İzmit.
The 22-point action plan to clear the recent surge in mucilage will be jointly carried out by the Environment and Urbanization Ministry, Transportation and Infrastructure Ministry, Agriculture and Forestry Ministry.
The Health Ministry, Interior Ministry, related institutions, non-governmental organizations, and coastal municipalities under the coordination of governor's offices are also taking part in the cleaning efforts.
Artüz: Cleaning up is not possible
Speaking to bianet about the issue a few days ago, hydrobiologist Levent Artüz welcomed the action plan, adding that it was still too early to make an evaluation. "It is very important how the points of the action plan will be underpinned by laws and legal regulations," he said.
Artüz is of the opinion that the mucilage cannot be cleared from the sea with the efforts undertaken as part of the mobilization:
"It is also not possible to clean it up; a waste of effort and money... It is for the sake of appearances. It is no different from sweeping the sand from the beach with a broom. It cannot be dealt with like that. We have killed a sea in cooperation and by planning. We now need to sit and plan how we will surmount this problem. If a measure is taken, it will continue in a better position than today; I mean, the mucilage will appear once in 3 or 5 years, rather than every year, it will not bother people too much. But if no serious measures are taken and if it keeps on being used as an environment of receiving, the Sea of Marmara will face us with worse scenarios." (KÖ/SD)
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