The Sea of Azov has long been a concern for ecologists. Its waters are home to high levels of radioactive material. Environmentalists warn that if current trends continue, the Sea of Azov will become yet another dead sea.
Tonnes of rotting fish, among them specimens that are genetically deformed, have become alarmingly familiar to people who live along the sea's coastline. The salinity of its water has increased by 3 %. Commercial fishing yields have fallen a staggering 97 % since 1970 and many unique sea species have become extinct. The most troubling development is the increasingly high levels of radioactive materials recorded in the sea, as well as petroleum and heavy metal pollution. At this rate, the Sea of Azov will become another dead sea. It will become a body of water that cannot support either life within it or the lives of the people who live around it. To restore the eco-system of the Azov Sea, ecologists recommend that commercial fishing be prohibited for at least 20 years. Shipping must be reduced by half, and any oil and gas exploration simply banned.