According to a report by Hürriyet Daily News on Wednesday, oxygen levels in the Sea of ​​Marmara in northwestern Turkey have dropped significantly from a depth of 30 meters, making it uninhabitable for marine life. A study conducted by the Institute of Marine Sciences at the Middle East Technical University found that oxygen levels have reached critically low levels at depths of 150 to 200 meters, which experts describe as a “coma state.”

The report highlights the deteriorating condition of the Sea of ​​Marmara, caused by rising water temperatures, oxygen depletion and pollution, creating a vicious cycle that is only getting worse. Mustafa Yücel, deputy director of the institute, pointed out that nitrogen and phosphorus pollution is increasing and water temperatures are fluctuating by 2 to 3 degrees Celsius above normal.

Yücel warned that if this trend continues, it could lead to a collapse of the marine nutrient supply and food chain, which would have devastating consequences for the region’s ecosystem.

In 2021, a major slime outbreak occurred in the Sea of ​​Marmara due to pollution, further reducing oxygen levels and harming marine life. The Sea of ​​Marmara is an important inland waterway connecting the Black Sea to the Aegean Sea via the Bosphorus and Dardanelles, and is surrounded by densely populated areas with heavy industrial activity.