In the Tuzly Estuaries National Nature Park, dozens of tons of jellyfish have died due to water pollution with sunflower oil.
This was reported by an employee of the Tuzly Estuaries NNP, ecologist Ivan Rusev.
He noted that during a recent survey of the coastal zone of the Black Sea, it was found that, in addition to the sea area, vegetable oil was also washed ashore in various sections of the sandy spit within the Tuzly Estuaries National Park, including its protected zone.
According to the ecologist, the area of the sandy spit contaminated with oil across all days of the survey was visually estimated at more than 10 hectares. Seaweed, shells, and jellyfish contaminated with oil were also washed onto the beaches and the sandy spit.
In particular, in the shallow coastal waters within the park, in an “oily mixture,” tens of thousands of moon jellyfish (Aurelia aurita) and barrel jellyfish (Rhizostoma pulmo) were found.
“Based on observations from many sections of the coastline where jellyfish were found, we can estimate the scale of jellyfish mortality caused by oil within the marine area of the Tuzly Estuaries NNP at dozens of tons,” the ecologist said.
