European seas hit record temperatures, threatening marine ecosystems

European waters have recorded their warmest summer since reliable satellite measurements began in 1982. Sea temperatures have broken records from the English Channel to the Mediterranean, with average temperatures between June and August reaching 21.6 degrees Celsius, the highest level in 45 years of available data.

On August 5, a buoy off Mallorca recorded 33.02 degrees Celsius, the highest temperature ever measured by the Spanish port authority network. In the Bay of Biscay, temperatures reached 23.2 degrees Celsius on August 13, according to NOAA, significantly exceeding the 1991-2020 average.

Scientists warn that marine heatwaves are becoming more frequent, intense, and widespread. These shifts are transforming marine ecosystems and causing catastrophic consequences for European fisheries. Traditional species that have supported coastal communities in Spain and southern England are disappearing, while new, invasive species are entering the warming waters. Jean-Pierre Gattuso, a researcher at France’s National Centre for Scientific Research, noted that the speed of these changes is surprising, with records being broken almost daily in many regions.