Algae has formed along the shores of Lake Van in the Erciş district of Van, eastern Türkiye, raising concerns about the health of the country’s largest lake.

In parts of the Sahilkent neighborhood, the lake’s surface has been covered with dense algae. Scientists say the bloom is a response to pollution.

"Lake Van is a closed basin, so even the smallest amount of pollution remains trapped,” said Dr. Mustafa Akkuş, a faculty member at Van Yüzüncü Yıl University’s Faculty of Fisheries. "Its high altitude and cold winters mean the lake absorbs pollution much more slowly than lower, warmer lakes. In recent years, we’ve seen extraordinary algae growth along the shoreline.”

Akkuş said massive algae formations could threaten biodiversity, particularly pearl mullet, a species native to the lake. He stressed the importance of operating wastewater treatment plants at full capacity.

"Lake Van’s pollution is not the responsibility of a single institution but of everyone living around it,” he said. "We hope that no untreated water is released so the lake can return to its deep blue color.”

Lake Van, located in eastern Türkiye, is also the world’s largest soda lake, according to Akkuş. Its fragile ecosystem has long been sensitive to environmental changes.