The seabed in the Sønderborg Bay has been found to be completely lifeless following a recent survey conducted by biologist Bo Mammen Kruse and members of the environmental organization Greenpeace. The survey aimed to assess the condition of the marine environment in the area near Als Fjord, and the results are disheartening.

Bo Mammen Kruse, who is the project leader for the environmental initiative Als Reef (Als Stenrev), describes the findings as particularly concerning. Since 2012, Als Reef has been working on restoring the reefs in the bay, with the hope of promoting rich biodiversity and creating an environment with healthy kelp forests and cod fish. However, their efforts have been in vain, as the seabed has been smothered by algae due to excess nutrients.

“We had expected to find a functioning reef with abundant macroalgae and rich biodiversity. Instead, the sea is filled with ‘fatmoss’ (fedtemøg), a type of brown algae that thrives in nutrient-rich areas,” Kruse explains.

The situation worsens as one moves into deeper waters. The oxygen concentration in the water has plummeted to just 0.01 milligrams per liter, which is so low that no life can survive. As Kruse describes, all life that could escape has already done so, while the rest lies dead on the seabed.

The survey was conducted as part of a documentation effort of the marine environment, and the results underline the severity of the environmental condition in the area. In conclusion, Kruse expresses that the entire Als Reef project now faces significant challenges due to the massive algae growth and oxygen depletion.