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| Marine Debris |
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Marine debris is a big problem in Hawai`i. Clearing marine debris from the ocean and beaches is important not just for restoring the natural beauty of beaches, but also for saving marine life. Birds and animals mistake trash such as plastic bags, cigarette lighters and bright coloured plastic as food and may suffer from internal injury, intestinal blockage and then starvation. Dolphins, whales, sea turtles, sharks, seals and birds get caught in fishing nets, lines and other debris such as six-pack holders.  Laysan albatross chick filled with marine debris. 40% of Laysan albatross chicks in the Northwest Hawaiian islands die every year from ingesting marine debris. Photo: Cynthia Vanderlip Marine debris comes from both land-based and water-based sources. On land, rivers and streams can carry debris far from its source and out to the ocean. On the ocean, fishermen lose fishing nets, rope, and buoys while recreational boaters throw trash overboard thinking that it will just "disappear", when in fact, many types of debris can last in the ocean for centuries. (see the online article: Plastic Ocean) Derelict fishing nets/gear and plastic marine debris that ends up on the windward sides of the Northwestern Hawaiian islands and Main Hawaiian islands comes from the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre (ocean currents in the North Pacific ocean). In the middle of this gyre ocean currents and winds are weak and this is where marine debris accumulates. This area just northeast of the Hawaiian islands is called the "Eastern Garbage Patch" which is roughly the size of Texas.  click on image for more information on the "Eastern Garbage Patch" and animated map of the North Pacific Sub-tropical gyre. Illustration: Greenpeace Recent studies have shown that in the "Eastern Garbage Patch" there are forty-six pounds of plastic to every one pound of zooplankton. *The floating plastic marine debris only accounts for about 30% of the total amount of plastic marine debris as the rest sinks to the bottom of the ocean. **Annually, more than 52 tons of marine debris accumulates in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. To date, over 563 tons of derelict net have been removed from this area. Remote Waters Offer No Refuge from Plastic Trash National Public Radio, Oct. 15, 2007 What can you do to help save marine life? It’s important for everyone to become aware of keeping the environment free of litter by putting trash in the right place (i.e. the garbage bin), recycling, cutting open the holes of six-pack holders before disposing of them, picking up plastic bags and other trash out of gutters and storm drains and not leaving cigarette butts and other trash behind at the beach. Reduce your use of plastic bags by using a reusable shopping bag. You can also help by joining in a beach or stream clean-up. Laws, regulations, treaties about marine debris - EPA Plastic bag ban in South Australia South Australia becomes the first state in Australia to ban lightweight plastic shopping bags. *http://www.greenpeace.org/international/campaigns/oceans/ pollution/trash-vortex# **http://marinedebris.noaa.gov/projects/removal_nwhi.html |
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