Tropical Fish Species Start to Dominate in Mediterranean amid Global Heating

* Photo: Pixabay

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Prof. Mehmet Gökoğlu from the Faculty of Aquaculture of Akdeniz University has indicated that the migration of exotic fish and other marine species to the Mediterranean Sea is still underway.

According to Gökoğlu, apart from the Suez Canal and Indian Ocean, these species can sometimes also enter the Mediterranean from the Atlantic Ocean through Gibraltar Strait. The species brought to the Mediterranean for fish farming might also escape and enter the sea in that way.

Gökoğlu has stressed that one of the major factors triggering this wave of migration is global heating. He has raised concerns that the Mediterranean is getting on a tropical character in terms of biological diversity.

Several jellyfish species are not indigenous

"Migrating from the Red Sea to Mediterranean, around 100 fish species have been identified in İskenderun Bay and 65 fish species in Antalya Bay," Gökoğlu has said and added that this migration is not limited to fish: "Several species living in marine environment enter the Mediterranean."

* Photo: Anadolu Agency (AA)

Underlining that several jellyfish species observed in the bay are not indigenous to the region, Gökoğlu has continued as follows:

"Several crab, algue, oyster and mussel species also originate from the Red Sea. Similarly, some species such as sea urchins and sea cucumbers, which are known as echinodermata, are also exotic species.

"We already encounter puffer fish and lionfish quite frequently. For instance, the cardinal fish that has came to Antalya Bay has also started to be a very dominant fish species in the region."

'They cause a decrease in native species'

Gökoğlu has underlined that these changes in the Mediterranean have an impact on the environment, fishing and fishers, tourism and human health:

"The fish coming from the Red Sea causes a pressure on the native fish species, thereby leading to fall in their numbers. Indigenous fish species are being replaced by excotic fish species.

"The majority of the fish coming from the Red Sea do not have economic value. They harm the fishing nets and other equipments. Puffer fish and jellyfish cause an extra job for the fishers, they lead to economic loss.

"Similarly, decreasing the selectivity of trawling nets, they also lead these nets to catch smaller fish as well. Jellyfish and puffer fish can also have detrimental effects on fishers' health." (PT/SD)