Scientist calls for joint action to save Aegean
Duygu Leloğlu - ISTANBUL
A vibrant community of corals blankets the seabed off Ayvalık, Türkiye, where scientists recently discovered the largest documented coral forest in the Aegean Sea.
Turkish marine scientist who discovered a major coral forest between Türkiye’s Gökçeada and Greece’s Samothrace has called for joint action to protect the Aegean Sea, warning that the region could face severe fishery and tourism problems within two decades.
Bayram Öztürk, head of the Turkish Marine Research Foundation (TÜDAV) and a professor at Istanbul University, said the newly documented coral ecosystem stretches for more than 2 kilometers at depths of 70 to 120 meters. The discovery follows more than a decade of research.
