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Dying Plankton Harms Idyllic Seychelles Sea Life |
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| SEYCHELLES: August 20, 2003 | ||
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VICTORIA - Masses of plankton, dying as global warming heats up the waters off the Seychelles, are threatening marine life in the Indian Ocean tourist haven, a government official said on Tuesday.
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The dead plankton, as it decays, depletes the oxygen in sea water and in effect suffocates other forms of marine life. The sludge also dulls the Seychelles' turquoise waters and tends to turn them green as algae feast on the plankton. "North Mahe is most affected but (the islands of) Praslin, Ile Cerf and Silhouette have also been hit," said Jude Florentine, the country's director general for pollution control and environment impact monitoring. He blamed the phenomenon on rising sea temperatures caused by global warming, coupled with winds pushing the algae toward the islands. Some fish and sea cucumbers were likely to be among the first casualties of the dying plankton, Florentine said, adding that residents have already reported seeing some dead fish.
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REUTERS NEWS SERVICE
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