Paper chits cast during Hıdırellez still killing fish

ANTALYA

Tossed into the sea for the spring festival of Hıdırellez, millions of paper wishes sealed in plastic pouches now litter the waters off Antalya.

Three months after thousands gathered along the coast to celebrate Hıdırellez, plastic waste and paper wishes thrown into the sea as part of the spring tradition are continuing to kill marine life in Antalya, local divers have warned.

Divers find fish consuming the papers locals tossed into the water during Hıdırellez, a traditional cultural practice celebrating spring with written wishes for good fortune, promotional diving expert Seçkin Tedik said.

“Crews pull plastics, heavy metals and car tires from the seabed despite a decrease in underwater garbage,” he said.

Teams removed 6 tons of trash from the Antalya Marina during COP31 cleanups organized by the Antalya Governor’s Office and the Antalya Municipality, diving instructor Mustafa Karsamba said, noting the work covered the Kaleiçi Marina, a shelter and the Konyaaltı Beach.

Microplastic density underwater is three times higher than on the surface, diver Hüseyin Fırat said following dives between the Konyaaltı Variant and the Kaleiçi Marina.

Fırat encountered a surface cleaning vehicle after diving across the Konyaaltı Municipality on Aug. 9. “Deep waters also require cleaning,” he said.

The Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Ministry has halted operations at 19 sites and slapped 52 facilities with 118.21 million liras in fines since July 1 as part of an anti-pollution drive across six Mediterranean provinces.

The Seyhan, Ceyhan, Göksu and Asi rivers in Türkiye’s south transport waste into the Mediterranean Sea at accelerated rates triggered by heavy 2026 rains, floods and controlled dam releases.

The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), Permit and Inspection General Directorate conducted 43,096 inspections at recycling sites over five years, levying over 2.3 billion liras in fines and halting 323 operations.