Marine Debris

What is marine debris? : According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, marine debris is “any persistent solid material that is manufactured or processed and directly or indirectly, intentionally or unintentionally, disposed of or abandoned into the marine environment or the Great Lakes.”  Marine debris is composed of a few main sources: plastics, glass, metal, rubber, and derelict fishing gear.  One of the most caustic of these sources is plastic.  Plastics are used constantly in everyday life and are some of the most abundant debris in the water environment.  Debris can range from household items like straws and bottle caps to industrial size plastic sheeting.  Unfortunately, the plastic does not decompose.  It just breaks into smaller and smaller pieces as it moves through the water. 

Impacts: One of the worst results of marine debris is the creation of “garbage patches” in the world’s oceans.  Garbage patches are huge concentrations of marine debris spread over a specific area in the oceans.  The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is located in the central North Pacific Ocean and is estimated to be as large as the state of Texas.  It is mainly composed of bits of plastic.  Other garbage patches have been discovered around the world raising the need for some form of solution.

Animal impact: Marine debris is lethal to the animals living around it.  Many animals can become entangled by abandoned fishing nets or lines.  This occurrence, called ghost fishing, traps, injures and even kills both fish and marine mammals.  Animals may also mistake marine debris for food.  Birds, marine mammals, and sea turtles are known to ingest the pollution causing internal damage, illness, or death.

Environmental impact:  Marine debris poses serious harm to the marine environment in general.  It ruins the purity and cleanliness of the oceans which humans depend on for so many reasons.  It can destroy marine habitats such as coral reefs which offer beauty and habitats for countless marine organisms.  If the marine environment is damaged, the human race will also suffer as a result.

Aesthetic impact: Marine debris is detrimental to the irreplaceable beauty of the world’s oceans.  Beach pollution is not appealing and discourages beachgoers and tourists who enjoy the shore. 

Popular tourist destinations could become garbage dumps, resulting in an economic loss and a serious hit to nature’s beauty.

Marine debris has many detrimental effects to the marine environment. It is pivotal that humans discover a solution to save the world’s oceans from marine debris.  So far, the average human can help limit marine debris by being conscience of litter, recycling everything that can be recycled, and participating in local beach cleanups.  Every effort counts, but something drastic must be done to ensure cleaner oceans.