Tar balls appear on beaches at Malpe

Team Udayavani, Jun 25, 2023, 10:25 AM IST

Representative image

Malpe: Tar balls have started appearing on Malpe beach for the past 3-4 days, local fishermen said. The black colored tar ball that floats with the waves has created anxiety among environmentalists about possible ocean pollution.

The tar balls were seen along the beaches from Malpe to Thottam.

Fishermen alleged that the tarballs were a result of crude oil spills from ships. The oil spill floats on water and breaks down into smaller tarballs by the action of wind and waves. This greasy oil slick is harmful to marine life, they said.

Meanwhile, the hairy-looking weeds that were seen floating on these shores for the past week, have been sent for further study. A team from the fisheries university visited the site for inspection and informed that the hairy substance was a result of the growth of algae due to a decrease in salt content in seawater.