ISTANBUL, Oct. 5 (Xinhua) -- A United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) project is helping Türkiye combat an invasion of "predatory Atlantic starfish" that is seriously threatening the country's seas.
According to Louisa Vinton, the UNDP's Türkiye resident representative, the Atlantic starfish is wreaking havoc along the country's coastline, threatening marine biodiversity and the aquaculture industry.
She said among the 105 different invasive alien species in Turkish waters, the starfish is one of the most destructive sea animals because it adapts quickly, reproduces rapidly, faces no natural predators, and has a ravenous appetite for mussels and mollusks.
"When starfish comes to Turkish seas, including the Sea of Marmara here, it gobbles up mussels and other shellfish," stated Vinton, adding that the natural balance would then be out of whack, with mussels being eliminated and biodiversity being destroyed.
The UNDP project aims to raise awareness of this danger and encourage people to collect and remove starfish in innovative ways, including organizing competitions to reward those who collect the most.
"Many marine species around the world end up outside their native habitat due to maritime shipping, and global warming also creates a favorable condition for these species to adapt fast to new territories," said the project manager Mehmet Golge in a press release by the UNDP.
In late September, a two-day event was held in Türkiye's northwestern province of Balikesir off the Sea of Marmara, during which local divers and marine biologists surveyed local seabed starfish populations for the project.
"We are here to raise awareness among coastal communities about invasive species and the threat they may pose to local biodiversity and livelihoods," said Golge.
The UNDP project will also launch a publicly accessible database for marine invasive alien species to provide up-to-date information on their threat.
