How the Black Sea ecosystem is restored after an accident with tankers in the Kerch Strait

The process of natural restoration of the Black Sea ecosystem, which suffered from the accident with the Volgonft tankers, is successful. Such conclusions were come to the experts of the Institute of Oceanology named after P.P. Shirshov RAS following the analysis of the results of the expedition in the Black Sea.

The results of the analysis show that the greatest pollution is observed precisely in the Anapa area, and not directly in the Kerch Strait. Studies have revealed a significant decrease in the concentration of pollutants in the soil of beaches, bottom sediments and tributaries — an average of 50% over the past time since the accident— quotes RIA Novosti Institute’s message.

According to scientists, such a decrease is explained both by natural leaching and weathering of pollutants, as well as the activity of the Bertic (living at the bottom) and bacterial biota, which contributes to the purification of the ecosystem.

Experts determined that two and a half months after the accident, there were no significant changes in the natural development of Bentos. Biomass Bentos in the touched areas as a whole remained at the level of average values ​​for the coast with a slightly reduced species diversity, which indicates the early stage of restoration of the ecosystem.

The results of the expedition allow us to talk in general about the successful course of the process of natural recovery of the ecosystem. It is too early to draw the final conclusions, further work is needed to monitor the state of the sea and coastal territories— said the head of the expedition Petr Zavyalov.

The head of the Rospotrebnadzor Anna Popova previously said that 141 beach in Anapa and nine beaches in Temryuk are officially recognized as unsuitable for bathing and will be closed due to the spread of fuel oil in the Black Sea. At the same time, the territory of the Krasnodar Territory from Novorossiysk and further east is free from pollution-there are no risks for resort and recreation. At the same time, the beaches of Crimea and Sevastopol are completely free from fuel oil and suitable for tourists’ rest in the resort season-2025, Popova said earlier.

The head of the Crimea, Sergei Aksenov, said that about 350 beaches in the holiday season will be opened on the peninsula, there is an active preparation for the influx of vacationers throughout the peninsula.

On December 15, 2024, the tankers “Volgonft-212” and “Volgoneft-239” crashed into a storm in the area of ​​the Kerch Strait. It was possible to evacuate 27 sailors, one of them died. About 2.4 thousand tons of fuel oil hit the sea.

Single emissions were recorded in Crimea and Sevastopol, but the coast of the Krasnodar Territory was most affected. In Anapa, polluted soil is still removed.

The owners of the sunken courts proposed creating two funds totaling over 1 billion rubles to compensate for the damage.

source: RIA Novosti Crimea