The science board established under the direction of Environment, Urbanization, and Climate Change Minister Murat Kurum has prepared the Izmir Bay Emergency and Short-Term Action Plan to combat mass fish deaths and pollution in Izmir Bay, on the Aegean coast of western Türkiye.
According to a statement from the ministry, following the mass fish deaths and widespread pollution in Izmir Bay, an investigation was initiated in the region, and the Izmir Bay Science Board was formed, comprising 35 academics.
The board members conducted inspections in wastewater treatment plants and streams in Izmir Bay and prepared the Emergency and Short-Term Action Plan.
The plan includes a 14-item action list detailing "emergency and short-term actions" aimed at revitalizing the bay, where the aquatic ecosystem is on the brink of collapse due to oxygen deficiency caused by pollution. The plan will serve as a guide for local authorities.
The technical and scientific studies determined by the science board will be implemented by the ministry and relevant institutions, primarily the Izmir Metropolitan Municipality.
The action plan will be announced to the public at a news conference organized by the board on Monday at 2 p.m. at the Izmir Economic Congress building. The ministry will also announce the ongoing preparations for the medium and long-term action plans in the coming months.
Fish deaths and unpleasant odors have been reported along the coastline of the Bayraklı district in Izmir Bay, spreading to the Karşıyaka shore. This issue first emerged on Aug. 20, when dead fish and foul odors were discovered in the Turan area of Bayraklı, prompting cleanup operations by the Izmir Metropolitan Municipality and laboratory analyses by the Provincial Directorate of Agriculture and Forestry, as well as the Provincial Directorate of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change.
