The pollution and earthquake problems of the Marmara Sea were discussed in Tekirdağ (a city in Turkey). The dimensions of pollution at sea were once again revealed.

Sevinç Erdal İnönü Foundation, Marmara Sea’s 2018 Working Data on Every Side prepared in cooperation with the Municipality of Tekirdağ Süleyman Paşa Municipality and Kartal Municipality was shared at the meeting held in the city.

Monitoring the Changing Oceanographic Conditions of the Sea of Marmara (MAREM) project leader M. Levent Artüz in his statement. In the Marmara Sea, the body of water has strayed from the standards that should be.

ERGENE’S POLLUTION AFFECTS THE SEA OF MARMARA

In his statement, Artüz pointed out that Ergene River is the dirtiest river in the world. The Ergene stream in your city is considered the most polluted river in the world. This dirty water will be printed out the Sea of Marmara with deep discharge. Therefore, there will be nothing in the Sea of Marmara but dirt. With the project that is being discussed right now, Ergene River’s dirt won’t pass to Marmara and Ergene River will be cleaned as soon as possible.

After his statement, hydro biologist Artüz shared the data from their studies for the detection of sea pollution:

• ·         There is 0.2 mg/liter oxygen in the Sea of Marmara. This is serious deficiency. The water of the sea has been blurred for 15 years.
• ·         The sun’s rays that went down to 8 meters 15 years ago can now go down to 1.5-2 meters. The meadows under the sea are disconnected from the sun. Due to the particles, the water is warmer, has higher temperature, the gas is not dissolved and the amount of dissolved oxygen decreases.
• ·         Dirty water flowing from Ergene River, most polluted river in the world, will be printed on the Marmara Sea without being refined. Within 3 months the Sea of Marmara will be brown, fishing will fall dramatically and there will be odor. Marmara will become unusable.
• ·         We do fish sampling in many places. The group of sharks was seriously destroyed in the Sea of Marmara. A stomach analysis was performed from the fish in the Sea of Marmara. They were found to have Nano plastic in the stomach and muscle tissue. The results are not very good.

MARMARA WILL FACE A 7.2 – 7.4 EARHTQUAKE

ITU Eurasian Earth Science Institute MAREM Department of Geological Sedimentology Dr. Mehmet Sakınç made a statement about the earthquake problem which is the second problem of the Marmara Sea.

Sakınç stated that the issue of earthquake is another big problem of Marmara Sea. The sea has an unprecedented flow system in the world. Its geological evolution makes Marmara important. Research shows that every 250 years there might be an earthquake. We are near the end of this 250 years period. An earthquake is most likely to happen. The earthquake’s power will be between 7.2 – 7.4. Istanbul will be damaged very hard. Also Tekirdağ, Gelibolu, Çanakkale and Mürefte will be affected by the earthquake. The Sea of Marmara is a very important sea for both biological and oceanographic. If we can’t protect it, it is our fault.

UMUT KARADENİZ