PodcastTurkey says it will defeat 'sea snot' outbreak in Marmara Sea
Turkish Environment and Urbanization Minister vowed to defeat the "sea snot" plague in the Marmara Sea, as authorities have initiated a cleaning process.
Duvar English - Reuters - Turkey's environment minister pledged on June 6 to defeat a plague of "sea snot" threatening the Marmara Sea with a disaster management plan he said would secure its future.
A thick slimy layer of the organic matter, known as marine mucilage, has spread through the sea south of Istanbul, posing a threat to marine life and the fishing industry.
Harbors, shorelines and swathes of seawater have been blanketed by the viscous, greyish substance, some of which has also sunk below the waves, suffocating life on the seabed.
"Hopefully, together we will protect our Marmara within the framework of a disaster management plan," Environment and Urbanization Minister Murat Kurum said, speaking from a marine research vessel that has been taking samples of the slimy substance.