In the last 20 years, the oxygen values in the deepest parts of the Marmara Sea have declined significantly below 80 micromolar, which is considered the limit of hypoxia. Pressures on the Marmara Sea are very diverse and sectoral solutions are not sufficient. Instead, holistic and shared responsibilities approaches and measures are needed. In this context, the necessity of revealing the current situation of the Marmara Sea, reducing the pollution loads with modeling work, determining the point pollution sources, and creating actions for the protection of the Marmara Sea on the basis of an ecosystem-based approach has emerged.
MARMOD project is aimed to develop environmental management and ecological approach water quality improvement plans specific to the Sea of Marmara and to produce possible medium-long term management plans. In this context, intensive observation cruises have been carried out to monitor the mucilage that has emerged recently, and high-resolution ctd observations (ScanFish) and multiple deep-sea samplings (multi-corer) have been made with techniques that have not been performed in our seas before. In addition to these, the pioneering work of the Marmara Sea Digital Twin has begun to be created. Within the scope of the MARMOD project, in the first stage, the physical and ecological 3D model of the Marmara Sea and the sea, basin, atmosphere and socioeconomic inputs were integrated. The digital twin is in a position to provide real-time visual-digital information flow about every point of the sea to decision makers, citizens, scientists and all end users. With this knowledge, the main objective is to achieve good environmental status and to improve the marine economy sectors in harmony with the ecosystem and the changing climate.