Transcript Marine Debris Lecture

Talking Trash
The Problem With Marine Debris
Marine Debris: What is it?
Any unnatural items that makes it
way into our ocean or marine environment
Directly (i.e. dumping)
Indirectly (i.e. street
litter washing out to sea
30-40% of debris originates from
ships at sea
Estimated that 5 million items of marine
litter are thrown overboard or lost from
ships everyday
Over 46,000 pieces of plastic litter are
believed to be floating on every square
mile of ocean
The Movement of Marine Debris
Problems with Marine
Debris
Wildlife Entanglement
Entanglement/Injury
Ingestion/Starvation
Both can lead to death
Affects seals, whales, turtles, fish, seabirds
Destruction of Marine Habitat
Breakage and smothering of coral reefs
Divers can remove nets…
but the
reef is
already
damaged…
Transportation of NonIndigenous Species
Diadumene lineata: an invasive
intertidal anemone
Navigational Hazards that may cause
Vessel Damage
Large accumulations of derelict fishing gear can:
Damage a vessel
Entangle the propellor
Result in a navigational hazard
Result in a safety risk for those
onboard
Trawler tangles with
derelict net
propellor snare
Marine Debris Can be Toxic
Persistent organic pollutants (POPs):
a class of chemicals that can be
released by ordinary garbage
Extremely toxic, even at low
concentrations
Accumulate in the fatty tissues of
marine mammals
POPs have been shown to disrupt
hormones that could result in cancer
and birth defects
What’s
being
done?
NOAA's Marine Debris Program
MISSION
A national effort to
prevent,
identify,
remove,
reduce
marine debris
Also
protect and conserve
our nation’s natural
resources and coastal
waterways from the
impact of marine debris
Promotes: research, monitoring,
outreach, and reduction outcomes
NOAA’s marine debris program
2006: first ever comprehensive project to
survey and remove marine debris in the main
Hawaiian Islands.
Aerial surveys of all
main islands
ID’ed over 700 debris sites and approx.
129 tons of debris
Waiohinu-ka Lae
Coastline, Big Island
Kanapou Bay,
Kaho’olawe
42 tons in 9 miles
5 tons in ¼ mile
How you can help
Get involved in local clean-ups
Don’t litter; find a trash can
Leave your favorite places cleaner than
when you got there; bring a trash bag
with you when you go to the beach
Reduce the amount of waste you produce
and recycle when you can
Learn about the issue and
help spread the word!
For more info visit:
http://marinedebris.noaa.gov