Negligence on the part of both İzmir’s municipal authorities and the Environment Ministry has led to a serious environmental disaster in İzmir Bay, sparking a blame game between the two as dead fish wash up on beaches and the water turns brown, BBC Turkish Service reported.
The crisis first came to light on August 20, when residents of İzmir’s Bayraklı district reported seeing dead fish along the coastline, followed by discoloration in the water. Within days the issue had spread to beaches in Karşıyaka and Bostancı.
Both sides have traded accusations over the causes of the fish die-off. Environment Minister Murat Kurum alleged that the city’s failure to properly manage its water infrastructure, including the merging of rainwater and sewage systems, was a major contributor to the pollution. He emphasized that the bay’s ecosystem was on the verge of collapse, stating, “İzmir Bay is dying. The situation is a result of years of negligence by those who promised to clean the bay up but did nothing.”
In response İzmir Mayor Cemil Tugay accused the ministry of neglecting its responsibilities, stating that the sources of the pollution were too vast for the municipality alone to manage. “We have industrial waste, runoff from agricultural areas and wastewater from numerous sources, and the ministry has the regulatory authority to address them,” Tugay said. He also stressed that the municipality’s ability to clean up the bay was limited as it only had the authority to dredge up to 50,000 cubic meters of sludge, while millions of tons had accumulated over the years.
The two sides acknowledge the severe damage to the bay’s ecosystem, with oxygen levels in some areas dropping to nearly zero. However, the exchange of blame has stalled coordinated efforts. “We need a collective effort to solve this, but instead, the ministry chooses to politicize the issue,” Tugay said, adding that he is willing to cooperate but not at the expense of being scapegoated.
The environmental crisis in İzmir Bay is part of a broader pattern of neglect across Turkey, where pollution and ecological damage have increased over the past two decades, particularly under the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP).
Rapid industrialization, urban expansion and inadequate waste management have led to repeated incidents, including toxic leaks in rivers and air pollution in cities. The 2021 mucilage outbreak in the Sea of Marmara highlighted the consequences of untreated wastewater and industrial discharge, prompting widespread criticism.
While the government has launched cleanup efforts, critics argue that enforcement of environmental regulations remains weak, with local and national authorities often shifting blame rather than taking action.
