The Marine Services and Inspection Branch Directorate of the Mersin Metropolitan Municipality Environmental Protection and Control Department, which has accelerated its efforts to purify the Mersin sea from microplastics, which have increased more than expected in the seas in recent years and threaten the marine ecosystem, is raising awareness of future generations about sea cleaning.
Metropolitan teams hosted Mezitli Kindergarten students within the scope of '5 June World Environment Day'. The teams rescued the Caretta Carettas caught in the nets left by the fishermen and released them back into the sea together with the children. Then, the teams demonstrated the cleaning carried out by the Metropolitan Municipality in the sea to the little ones in practice, and also went to the sea by boat and demonstrated the function of the garbage cleaning machine. The children, who had both an educational and enjoyable time, said that they would now be more careful in cleaning the environment.
Üresin: “We told our children why the sea should remain clean”
Emre Üresin, who works as Marine Inspection Chief at Mersin Metropolitan Municipality Environmental Protection and Control Department, stated that they hosted Mezitli Kindergarten students at the Marine Services and Inspection Branch Directorate in Çamlıbel Fishing Shelter, and said that they hosted the students in order to raise awareness during Environment Week. He noted that they did. Üresin said, “We rescued the loggerheads caught in the net and released them into the sea, their nests, together with our children. Then, we explained about the cleanliness of the seas at a level they could understand and why the sea should remain clean. "We showed the children practically how cleaning is done in the port," he said.
Stating that Caretta Carettas can get caught in the ropes tied in the port and in the nets left in the sea, Üresin said, “When we find the Carettas alive, we immediately intervene and save them. We come across many Caretta Carettas caught on fishing rods, with fishing lines and needles attached to their necks and feet. We would like to warn our fishermen about this issue; Please do not leave excess fishing lines, nets and needles into the sea. "Unfortunately, these pose a death threat to marine creatures," he said.
“The Metropolitan Municipality is always on duty to keep the seas clean”
Talking about the work carried out by Mersin Metropolitan Municipality on sea cleaning, Üresin said, “The Metropolitan Municipality cleans the garbage generated both on the shore and on the sea surface 7 hours a day, 24 days a week, with a sea sweeper and a fiber boat. We also collect the waste of all boats and yachts moored in Çamlıbel Fishing Shelter. Of course, it is important for us that they do not release this waste into the sea. In short, Mersin Metropolitan Municipality is always on duty to keep the seas clean.”
Addressing the citizens about sea cleaning, Üresin said, “They should not leave garbage, especially when they have a picnic by the sea or come to the beach. Because this garbage goes to the sea, especially under the influence of wind and waves, and spreads everywhere due to the current. The garbage we see in the sea and ignore as 'just a bag' creates a mountain of garbage in the sea when thousands of people do this. We see that a significant amount of plastic waste comes out of the stomachs of fish and Caretta Carettas. These plastics and microplastics pose a great danger to marine creatures. Let's keep nature clean. "If we tie up our waste and leave it in garbage containers in garbage bags, we will at least support nature a little bit," he said.
Children enjoyed the program that raised awareness of nature conservation.
Ali Kerim Cingöz, one of the children who participated in the information trip, explained his happiness at seeing a Caretta Caretta by sailing and said, "Let's not pollute the sea and pay attention to environmental cleanliness." Arın Arslan, one of the children, noted that he liked the program very much and said, “We got on the boat and I saw the sea turtles. I will now be more careful about keeping the seas clean. "This is our world, let's not pollute it," he said.
Stating that he had never been on a boat before and that he was very excited, Eray Üresin said, “I am careful not to pollute the sea. Don't pollute the seas, this is our world. "We would like to thank our Vahap President," said Selin Toy, who said that they saw 2 Caretta Carettas and rescued them from the nets. "I have never seen a sea turtle before. I saw it for the first time and I was excited. "I am careful not to pollute the seas and throw the garbage into the trash bin," he said.
