The mediterranean sea: The Mediterranean Sea is undergoing major changes as rising temperatures linked to climate change create favorable conditions for hundreds of invasive species, threatening native marine life and the livelihoods of coastal communities. Scientists say the warming is largely driven by climate change caused by the burning of fossil fuels such as oil, coal, and gas.
According to United News of Bangladesh, the Mediterranean is considered a climate change ‘hot spot,’ with scientists predicting that its waters could warm by 2 to 6 degrees Celsius (3.6 to 10.8 degrees Fahrenheit) by 2100. Marine heat waves are also expected to become more frequent and severe. Ronan McAdam, an oceanographer with the Euro-Mediterranean Center on Climate Change, said the Mediterranean is particularly vulnerable because it is an enclosed sea, meaning heat cannot escape as easily as it does in the open oceans.
The warmer waters are helping invasive species such as the spotted puffer fish expand their range. Ernesto Azzuro, a marine biologist at the Italian National Research Council’s Institute for Marine Biological Resources and Biotechnology, described the species as a highly aggressive predator and one of the Mediterranean’s ‘worst invaders.’ Many of these species entered the Mediterranean through the Suez Canal and are now spreading toward France and Spain.
The U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization’s General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean said invasive species have been present in the region for decades, but their spread accelerated after the early 2000s as sea temperatures increased. Lionfish, for example, were first recorded in the eastern Mediterranean in 2012 and have since rapidly spread westward.
Azzuro noted that the Mediterranean will become poorer in biodiversity as climate change renders parts of it unsuitable for native species. Cyprus was among the first countries to experience the impact because of its location near the Suez Canal. Lionfish have reduced populations of native fish such as red mullet, affecting fishers who depend on popular local varieties. Rabbitfish are also causing problems by feeding heavily on algae on the seabed, damaging habitats that are important for native species.
Piero Genovesi Papik, a zoologist with Italy’s Higher Institute for Environmental Protection and Research, emphasized the need to reduce fossil fuel use to address the issue. He stated that while solutions require a global and joint vision, they are urgently needed.
Azzuro mentioned that around 1,000 invasive species have been identified in the Mediterranean, with about 800 of them now firmly established. The impact is already severe, with shallow waters in the eastern Mediterranean losing about 93% of their mollusk population. Along the Adriatic coast, mussels have nearly disappeared as water temperatures have climbed above 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit).
To mitigate the damage, experts are exploring options such as promoting the commercial fishing and sale of invasive species that are safe to eat, and providing incentives for fishers to catch non-consumable species like puffer fish. Some invasive species, including lionfish, have economic value in certain markets, but others like the dusky spinefoot have yet to be commercially utilized.
Papik stressed the importance of preventing new species from entering the Mediterranean by enforcing international agreements requiring ships to treat ballast water before entering the region. Another measure is using special coatings on ship hulls to prevent marine organisms from attaching themselves to vessels and spreading to new areas.
Fishing rules are also being revised to help native species recover. Experts are considering encouraging the growth of native mollusks that are more resistant to invasive species such as the blue crab. Papik concluded that the challenge in the coming years will be to find new ways to restore the environment.