Sea snot: The noxious plague troubling Istanbul's coast

The Sea of Marmara, which surrounds Istanbul, is facing a serious problem known as sea snot. This thick, slimy substance is actually called mucilage, and it is made up of tiny plants called phytoplankton. When these plants grow too much, they create a sticky layer that floats on the water and covers everything underneath. This mucilage can block sunlight and stop oxygen from reaching fish and other sea creatures, which can kill them. It also makes the water look dirty and smell bad, which is a big problem for people who live near the sea or want to swim in it.

Koenraad Marinus van Lier is an artist who lives on Burgazada, one of the islands near Istanbul. He loves to swim in the sea every day, but he had to stop because the mucilage is back. The Sea of Marmara is almost like a closed bathtub, with only two small openings to other seas. This makes it easy for pollution and mucilage to get trapped. The problem first became very bad in 2021, when the mucilage covered the sea and killed many fish. The government and local groups tried to clean it up, and for a while, it seemed better. But the mucilage never really disappeared. Now, as the weather gets warmer, it is coming back again, and people are worried.

There are three main reasons for the mucilage problem. The first is climate change. The world is getting hotter, and so is the Sea of Marmara. Warmer water helps the phytoplankton grow faster. The second reason is the special way the water in the Sea of Marmara mixes. Water from the Black Sea is less salty, and water from the Mediterranean is very salty. These two types of water do not mix well, so the mucilage gets trapped in the sea. The third reason is pollution. Many people and factories around the Sea of Marmara dump their waste into the water without cleaning it. This pollution gives the phytoplankton more food to grow, making the problem worse.

Some people are trying to solve the problem. In 2021, the government made a plan with 22 steps to clean the sea and stop pollution. They wanted to watch the water more closely, teach people about the problem, and make the Sea of Marmara a protected area. Some of these steps have been done, but not all. The pollution is still a big problem, and the mucilage keeps coming back. Local groups, like the Women Change Makers of Marmara, are asking the government to do more. They believe that if everyone works together, the sea can be saved. But for now, people like Koenraad cannot swim, and the sea is still in danger. The future of the Sea of Marmara depends on everyone working together to stop pollution and protect the sea.