Fuel oil spill near Anapa affects algae and mussels

Scientists from the Subtropical Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences, based on the results of a study of coastal waters affected by a fuel oil spill, reported a normalization of the concentration of oil products near Vityazevo, but noted a change in the chemical composition of macroalgae and the impact of fuel oil on the mussel population.

As "Kavkazsky Uzel" wrote, the authorities assure that no traces of fuel oil were found in fish caught in the Black Sea after large-scale pollution of the water area with oil products. It is unsafe to eat seafood and fish caught in the pollution zone in the near future, environmentalists point out. Ecologists doubt the claims that Black Sea fish are harmless.

The Subtropical Scientific Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences conducted comprehensive ecological and geochemical surveys of the coastal zone of the Black Sea, affected by the fuel oil spill in the Kerch Strait. Research was conducted at the end of July in Anapa, the village of Vityazevo, the village of Blagoveshchenskaya, on Cape Bolshoy Utrish, in the same places as before, in February.

Concentrations of oil products in sea water currently do not exceed maximum permissible concentrations (MPC). High concentrations of oil products (1.7 times higher than the MPC and 13 times higher than the background) detected in February 2025 in the coastal waters of the village of Vityazevo decreased by 2.2 times, according to the center's website

Experts assessed the state of macroalgae communities, according to them, in general they showed no significant changes in their species diversity and floristic composition. In the cleanest zone of the coastal waters of the Utrish Nature Reserve, the maximum biodiversity of macroalgae and their good life condition are still noted. Here, as well as near Cape Bolshoy Utrish, during the current expedition, red algae Phyllophora and Laurencia, which live exclusively in clean waters, were discovered for the first time.

Free-living macroalgae, not detected in February of this year, were discovered in the coastal waters of the village of Blagoveshchenskaya.

However, pollution with fuel oil affected the chemical composition of the macroalgae. "The studies of February 2025 revealed a significant accumulation of chemical elements by algae. In addition, the mussel communities studied in July 2025 in the fuel oil spill zone (Vityazevo settlement) showed a significant (approximately 2.5 times) decrease in the number of females compared to males, which indicates a negative impact of fuel oil pollution on these organisms. In the coastal waters of the Utrish Nature Reserve, in similar communities, the ratio of females to males is 1:1, which corresponds to their natural normal state," the scientists noted.

December 15, 2024 two tankers with fuel oil sank in the Kerch Strait. As a result, a crew member of one of the tankers died. In addition, there was a spill of oil products, which led to catastrophic environmental consequences, according to the "Caucasian Knot" report "Fuel oil spill in the Kerch Strait".

As a result of the environmental disaster, Rospotrebnadzor declared 141 beaches in Anapa and nine beaches in the Temryuk district unsuitable for recreation. Fuel oil was found on all beaches in Anapa, on the coast in the Temryuk district and on the coast of the Sea of Azov in the Slavyansk district of Kuban, according to the "Caucasian Knot" report "The extent of fuel oil pollution in southern Russia".

Materials about the consequences of the fuel oil spill have been collected by the "Caucasian Knot" on the thematic page "Eco-disaster in Kuban".