מEtim know that the sea also has a seasonal cycle and that the winter storms are the driving force for the regeneration of nature - also in the sea. On land, the rain that saturates the soil is the factor that enables flowering and regeneration. In the sea, water is abundant, but nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus are almost always in short supply. So where do they come from?
Wind, storms and low temperatures during the winter cool the sea water and it sinks to the depths. On their ascent back, they bring with them the nutrients needed to start a new life cycle.
Fertilizers alone are not enough:
Plants also need light to grow!
At the beginning of spring, the sun warms the sea water and the light penetrates deeper layers. And so, when the temperatures are pleasant and the sea water is rich in nutrients, the signal is given for a new cycle of life.
The microscopic algae - the phytoplankton
So where are the flowers you ask?
The "spring bloom in the sea" is actually an increase in the amount of phytoplankton in the water. Phytoplankton are microscopic single-celled algae that produce oxygen and are a source of food and the basis for the entire rich food web that exists in the Israeli Mediterranean - small crustaceans (zooplankton), fish, sea turtles, and even sharks and dolphins! The increase in the amount of phytoplankton is so high that sometimes the water gets a greenish tint.
Abundance of phytoplankton in the water and in it cruises for pleasure Hamat Yam-Sufi
The big algae:
There are also large algae in the sea that are visible to the eye, these are called macroalgae. Algae are food for "herbivores" - invertebrates and herbivorous fish. The "herbivores" are food for invertebrates and carnivorous fish and these are in turn eaten by the super carnivores (carnivores that eat carnivores) such as tuna dolphins and sharks. The marine food web is a complete feast!
The unusual meadow in front of the Bat Galim boardwalk also attracts sea turtles. These will reach us, like every year, in May.
"Romance" in the sea water of Haifa
When food is abundant, and everything blooms around, there is time for romance. Spring is the beginning of the breeding season for a significant part of marine animals and in Haifa you can see many species of invertebrates and fish gathering for the purpose of breeding.
The breeding season is a critical period in which the animals raise their next generation. Disturbance to the fish during the breeding season means a decrease in the quantity and size of the fish over time.
So where did the fish go?
Many years without management and enforcement of fishing activity in the Middle Sea led to the collapse of fish populations and a very bleak ecological situation.
Following the awakening to the preservation of the Mediterranean Sea and following the reform of fisheries management, led by the Society for the Protection of Nature, an official breeding season will be introduced in the Israeli Mediterranean Sea in 2018. This is the third time: between the months of April and June, most types of fishing are prohibited.
Enforcement was transferred from the Ministry of Agriculture to the Nature and Parks Authority
The recent transfer of the enforcement of the Fishing Ordinance from the Fisheries Division of the Ministry of Agriculture to the Nature and Parks Authority inspectors also inspires hope and expectation for the recovery and renewed prosperity of nature in the Mediterranean Sea.
If so, this is definitely a new spring at sea!