Prolonged heatwaves killing Aegean’s sea life

Marine heatwaves in the Mediterranean Sea have led to mass deaths in marine life, according to an alarming conclusion that has been established for the first time after five years of study by 30 research teams from 11 countries around the Mediterranean Basin.

Greek scientists are among the researchers. They have documented the first catastrophic effects of rising sea temperatures in the southern Aegean.

More specifically, the research, published a few days ago in the peer-reviewed scientific journal Global Change Biology, demonstrates that in the period 2015-19 repeated incidents of marine heatwaves caused the mass mortality of at least 50 marine species at depths of up to 45 meters from the sea surface.

The heatwaves have affected 90% of the Mediterranean Sea, from the Alboran Sea to the Aegean Sea and the Levantine coast.