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Recently, the Marmara Sea on the Turkish coast has become covered in marine mucilage, often referred to as “sea snot.” The thick, slimy substance is a result of an “excessive proliferation of phytoplankton.” Scientists say that it likely worsened due to climate change, pollution from sewage, and agricultural run-off.
Sea snot is not a new phenomenon. The first documented case in Turkey occurred in 2007; however, the current outbreak is much more severe. While it tends to cluster at the surface, Mustafa Sarı, the dean of Bandırma Onyedi Eylül University’s Marine Faculty, dove 18 meters deep and found that “The bottom of the sea is covered with mucilage.” He said that they were unable to see well as a result of the sea snot, but cameras showed how the mucilage was even covering marine life.