Turkey’s leader vows to cure Marmara of ‘sea snot’ flare-ups

ISTANBUL (AP) — Turkey’s president has promised to rescue the Marmara Sea from an outbreak of “sea snot” that is alarming marine biologists and environmentalists. A huge mass of marine mucilage has bloomed in Turkey’s Marmara and the adjoining Black and Aegean Seas. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said untreated waste dumped into the Marmara Sea and climate change had caused the bloom of the thick, slimy substance made up of compounds released by marine organisms, Istanbul, Turkey’s largest city, borders the sea. Erdogan said Saturday he’s instructed the Ministry of Environment and Urbanization to coordinate with relevant institutions, municipalities and universities. He says teams are inspecting waste facilities, along with other potential polluters.