The largest ocean dead zone in the world, larger than the state of Florida, has just been found in the Gulf of Oman, a strait bordered by Iran, Pakistan, Oman and the UAE, measuring about 63,700 square miles. The dead zone is not only the largest but also the thickest in the world, according to researchers from the University of East Anglia, who studied the area for eight months, using underwater Seaglider robots to feed data to satellites.
The scientists had last measured the gulf in the 1990s, and now report a “dramatic increase” in the size and severity of the dead zone. A dead zone is an area without enough oxygen to support marine life – from plants to fish. They had not been able to study the area earlier because of piracy and political instability in the area. Now they were able to send the Seagliders down to depths of 3,280 feet.
“Our research shows that the situation is actually worse than feared,” said Bastien Queste, the lead researcher. “The area of dead zone is vast and growing. The ocean is suffocating.”
The scientists say the dead zone is largely caused by human pollution, including runoff from fertilizer and sewage. And they fear it will get worse. As the oceans grow warmer, their ability to hold oxygen slowly decreases, and dead zones will spread.
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