Oil pollution of the Black Sea, Turkish Straits System, (Istanbul Strait, Bosphours, Sea of Marmara, Çanakkale Strait, Dardanelles) and Golden Horn, in 1997-2003

Kasım Cemal Güven, Selma Ünlü, Selin Cumalı, Filiz Nesimigil, Pelin S.Çiftçi

Istanbul University, Institute of Marine Sciences and Management, Müşküle Sok. 1, Vefa , Istanbul, TURKEY

Abstract

The Turkish Straits has been a tanker route for the Russian and Caspian oils from the Black Sea to the Mediterranean Sea. In this work, the monitoring surveys were conducted on sea water during the years 1997-2003 in the Turkish Straits System (lstanbul Strait, northern part sea of Marmara and Dardanelles), Golden Horn, and vicinity of the Bosphorus entrance to the Black Sea, and additionally west part of the Black Sea in 2003 The oil pollution was determined monthly/seasonally. The highest oil amount in surface water of examined regions between 1997-2003 were ranked as:
for vicinity of Bosphorus entrance to the Black Sea: 2002> 1999>2001>2003>1997>2000>1998,
for the Istanbul Strait: 2002>2001>2003> 1999> 1997> 1998>2000,
for the Golden Horn: 2002>2003>2001>2000,
for the Sea of Marmara: 2003>2002>2000> 1997>2001>1998 > 1999,
for the Dardanelles: 2002>2003>2001>1999> 1998> 1997>2000.
This investigation showed that the oil pollution had varied during the years. It is clear that Turkish Straits system is under the risk of oil pollution. This problem can be solved by the diminish of tanker traffic in the Turkish Straits system. This monitoring plan was coordinated by ISKI (The lstanbul Water and Sewerage Administration) and carried out by our Institute.

Keywords: Oil pollution 1997-2004, The Black Sea, Istanbul Strait, Marmara Sea, Dardanelles , Golden Horn