The Maltese population flocks to the seaside in the hot summer months. Families and friends gather close to the water, hoping that the beautiful Mediterranean Sea would provide them with some relief from the exorbitant summer heat. However, in these last couple of weeks the sea, which usually felt a bit cool, no longer provides solace. There’s a very simple reason behind all this. The sea temperature this year has risen to a staggering 31 degrees in a relatively short period.
High sea temperatures have far worse consequences than a simple lack of freshness. Marine biologist and expert Alan Deidun spoke with The Malta Independent about the effects of rising sea temperatures on the fish that swim in our waters.
The sea temperature has risen much earlier than usual, Deidun explains, and this does not boded well for the coming months.
“We are looking at 31 to 32 degrees in water temperature. We usually reach this peak by end of summer. So if we reached these degrees when we are only in the beginning of August, we can expect the sea temperature to rise further.”
In a statement published recently by the University of Malta, experts said that the sea temperature had exceeded 30 degrees. Sea surface temperature (SST) has been high all around the Maltese Islands, reaching values well beyond 29 degrees and peaking at 30.1 degrees in the coastal stretch of sea opposite Marsascala on Saturday 5 August, in the early evening hours.
Sea temperatures in shallower areas, ports, embayments and beaches were even higher. The sea temperature measured at 3m depth in a yacht marina on the eastern coast reached close to 31 degrees. The warm temperatures around Malta are in contrast to the relatively cooler patch of sea west of the islands, the university said.
“This is an anomaly and we will now have to see how marine life, particularly fish, will react to it. The truth is we will only see the full effect of this heat in autumn.”
Deidun explained that alien species which were introduced in the Mediterrenean Sea will now survive and could stay in our sea for longer. Those species that cannot handle the heat however will move out.
“The issue is with the species that cannot move - species that are stuck to the seabed or the rocks. Those will suffer the most.”
This rise in sea temperature might bring with it an increase in the presence of the Fried Egg Jellyfish (Qassata) (photo above). The species has already made a number of appearances early this summer and the number of sightings could increase.
On the other hand, rising sea temperatures have also brought about the mass mortality of certain sea species. Gorgonians (above) , for example, suffered huge mass mortality in recent years, all due to high sea temperatures.
Sea temperatures also effects seasonal fishing.
“We cannot really say how, but the Lampuki (dorado) (photo top) season will certainly be affected. Only time will tell what the side-effect will be.”
In some cases, rising temperatures have caused certain fish to appear in our waters before their usual season. The needlefish, for instance, appeared in our waters before its usual time, most probably because of the rise in sea temperature.