KOCAELI, TURKIYE - MAY 29: A Japanese sea cucumber is seen among mussels and sea urchins in Gulf of Izmit, Kocaeli, Turkiye on May 29, 2023. Diving instructor Murat Kulakac and underwater photographer Mehtap Akbas Ciftci observed that the population of the Japanese sea cucumber (Apostichopus Japonicus), which started to be seen in Izmit Bay last year, has increased. It was observed that the sea cucumber, which is thought to be carried to the Gulf of Izmit by the ballast water of the ships during diving, had a dense population, especially in the first 20 meters. The population of the Japanese sea cucumber, which has an important role in the underwater ecosystem as it cleans and filters sea water, is increasing, especially in the Gulf of Izmit, which is a closed and sheltered bay. Mehtap Ciftci / Anadolu/ABACAPRESS.COM