Ecologists: consequences of Kerch Straits contamination may be felt after decades

The consequences of the Kerch Straits contamination may be felt after several decades. Ecologists have already registered mass deaths among birds and fish in the vicinity of the accident.

For example, due to fuel oil spill-out in Kerch Straits after the wreck of tanker "Volgoneft-139", about 9,000 fish have perished, including such species as pilengas, bullhead and khamsa. Additionally, such feed organisms as animal plankton and phytoplankton, have perished within the spill-out zone. This is reported by RIA Novosti with reference to the State Committee on Fishing.

Mass deaths among birds have been registered along the sea shore of Krasnodar krai. "According to the recent data, 30,000 birds have perished along the shore, as many birds have been soiled with fuel oil and are almost sure to die, too" cites the agency a representative of the krai administration.

The accidents caused by the violent storm resulted in almost fifteen hundred tons of fuel oil spilling out into the sea. In addition, about  7,000 tons of sulfur has got into the water from the sunk dry cargo ships. Now, acid rains are likely to fall here.