Marine Debris in the Hawaiian coast - Essay Example

? Marine Debris in the Hawaiian coast Acknowledgements This research paper would like to acknowledge the thorough research into the field of marine debris all over the world. I appreciate the contribution of various organizations such as National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) as well research institutes like Algalita Marine Research Foundation. Table of Contents Acknowledgements 2 Table of Contents 3 3 Abstract 4 Introduction 5 Background 5 Harm to marine life 6 Ingestion 6 Entanglement 7 Conclusion 9 Solutions and Recommendations 10 Bibliography 12 Abstract This paper explores the magnitude of marine debris in the Hawaiian coast in USA since the 1990s. The paper talks about the dynamics of water pollution specifically in the pacific and delves into the details of each pollutant material disposed into the waters. Marine debris turns out to be the “silent killer” of marine life and raises both national and international concerns leading to landmark legislations and conventions. The paper also proposes solutions and recommendations to address the issue of marine debris. It comes to the realization that marine debris not only affects marine life but also humans leading to grave economic repercussions. Introduction The same reason that makes plastic items of use to consumers, their durability, also makes them harmful to the marine environment. Ten percent of the 100 million plastics produced each year wind up in the sea. Twenty percent of theses are from ships and the rest from land. A walk along any ocean in the world reveals plastic bottles, expanded polystyrene packing, and discarded lengths of rope among others. Such items are a visible sign of a greater problem especially because they cannot degrade. They influence sunlight, mechanical abrasion, and wave action as they break down into smaller pieces. An estimated one million sea birds hundreds of thousands of marine animals die each year due to the ingestion of plastic materials. This shows the gravity of the issue when it comes to marine debris. Background Solid material found in the marine environment is called marine debris. The common misconception is that it involves just a few pieces of harmless rubbish scattered along the shores of the ocean. Plastics are the most common types of marine debris with at least two hundred and sixty seven species having suffered from either ingest5ion or entanglement with these items. 5the scale of contamination is quite high with many attempts to address the issue including legislations and campaigns. There are various sources of marine debris all of which are categorized into four. First is tourist related litters that include beach toys, beverage packaging and cigarettes. The second category is sewage related debris including water from storm drains and water overflow from discharge waste during rainfall. Then there is fish related debris including fish pots, fishing lines and strapping bands from bait traps that are either lost in commercial fishing or dumped deliberately. The last category is waste from ships and boats that are mostly deliberately dumped (Laws, 2000:62). Marine debris washes up almost on a daily basis on the Hawaiian shores. The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is the collection area of marine debris from the Pacific Ocean covering an area twice the size of USA. Currents, winds, and waves bring the debris to the Hawaiian island of Hawai`i, Kauai, Oahu, Kahoolawe, Lanai, Niihau, Molokai, and Maui as well as the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. Most of this debris is plastic hence do not biodegrade. Although plastic later photo degrades, the process creates smaller particles that form smaller particles of plastic, which pose potential harm to marine life (Andrady, 2003:241). Harm to marine life The harm to marine life is twofold through either entanglement or ingestion and other miscellaneous factors. Ingestion Marine debris poses so much harm on the marine environment. Researchers found that 100% of albatrosses feed their chicks plastic. The adult albatrosses while foraging for food mistake the brightly colored plastic items for food. As a result, thousands of their chicks die yearly in the northern Hawaiian island with their stomachs filled with plastics including children toys and lighters. The ingestion of these plastic items causes starvation, lacerations, blockages, and dehydration (National Research Council (U.S.), 2009:63). Sea turtles also mistake plastic bags for food and since they cannot regurgitate it, they face internal blockages or making turtles too buoyant to dive below the water surfaces. The plastic bottles that are washed ashore reveal teeth and beak marks showing that marine life and birds try to eat them. According to Algalita Marine Research Foundation, 35% of lantern fish from the Great Pacific Garbage Patch ingested plastic pieces. Lantern fish are the most consumed by larger fish such as tuna that are in turn eaten by humans and other animals at the top of the food chain. Zooplankton ingests micro-plastic particles according to research meaning the whole food chain is affected by this plastic ingestion (Laws, 2000:34). Moreover, plastics in the marine environment absorb organic pollutants like DDT and PCBs, which concentrates a million times more plastic than seawater. These chemicals bio-accumulate all through the food chain causing harm to the endocrine systems of fish, birds, reptiles and mammals. Entanglement Marine debris such as strapping bands, ropes, six-pack rings, monofilament line, and nets entangle marine life in water and on beaches. Entanglement can cause the death of whales, sea turtles, dolphins, and monk seals due to the inability to breathe under water. Monk seals and turtles become entangled sometimes when they come to the seashore. Animals also suffer injuries such as cuts and wounds (Woodley, 2002:47). Monofilament lines server off wings and flippers. This debris also causes deaths by drowning, starvation due to reduced food efficiency, suffocation, and strangulation. The entanglement rate of sea animals is at 7.9% of the population reducing the already limited population sizes. Fifty eight percent of seal and sea lion are affected by entanglement including the Hawaiian monk seal. Discarded fishing nets continue to trap fish even when they are not in use. This process is referred to as “ghost fishing” and could affect a huge quantity of marine organisms. Consequently, this leads to economic losses by the fishing industries (Woodley, 2002:78). Other effects include the invasion by alien organisms. Marine debris fouled with algae and barnacles for many years. As such marine debris sink in, coral reefs smoother blocking out sunlight. The debris also destroys reefs with snagged nets leading to breakage. Sometimes, coral grows on nets and die when the items wash ashore. Marine debris also destroys the shoreline habitats making nest building for sea turtles impossible. The coral reef ecosystem in Hawaiian islands suffer considerable contamination by derelict fishing gear from the North Pacific. This poses a threat especially to the Hawaiian monk seal. Efforts have been in place to remove the fishing gear since 1998 with several organizations coming together to address the problem in a multi-agency approach (Andrady, 2003:137). Research in 2003 revealed that about one hundred and ninety five tons of such fishing gear had been removed. Toxic pollutants such as heavy metal poisoning from lead and mercury builds up in the tissues of marine animals such as whales and sharks leading to birth defects and damage of the nervous system. Dioxins and poly-aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from oil pollution cause genetic problems in marine animals (Laws, 2000:113). Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB’s) that come from electrical equipments also cause birth problems in marine animals. Sewage causes massive loading of nutrients leading to algae bloom reducing the amount of oxygen in water. Sewage may also introduce parasites that can cause closures in shellfish harvesting. Tiny plastic particles also known as scrubbers from cosmetic preparations and cleaning media that are airburst also contaminate ocean water. Such particles result in micro layer ecosystems that are a nursery for alien species. Conclusion Industrialized societies manufacture a large quantity of material many of which end up as waste. The nature of such waste is changing dramatically with the changing times. Today human garbage have found their way to our most valued water masses (Mayda, 2013:17). Such garbage in water masses are what we refer to as marine debris. Marine debris is a problem that pervades the whole world. Even with extreme polar temperatures, plastics can be seen floating over the world oceans, the consequences of this pollution very grave on marine life. Marine debris not only harms marine life but also human beings. Beachgoers may get cuts and wounds from metals left on the beach. It also endangers the safety of anglers and recreational boaters. Nets and monofilament sheeting can block propellers leading to damages and consequently costly repairs. Similarly, plastic bags result in economic losses especially to recreational boats because they cause water blockage and result in burning out of water pumps. In addition, marine debris can translate into economic losses especially in the tourist industries because it discourages boating, swimming, and fishing activities. Communities also spend a lot of money in the cleanup process. The implication of water pollution on the entire food chain is a case that puts a lot to question despite the efforts to stop this injustice against innocent marine life. Worst of all is the fact that some of the pollution on our water masses are a deliberate action of isolated individuals who are blatantly insensitive marine life. What such individuals do not realize is that the effects of such pollution affect all of us. As such marine pollution is everybody’s problems not just the government or the fisheries that face economic losses due to ghost fishing. This realization calls on all of us to be on the lookout for nay pollution on our beaches. Solutions and Recommendations The problem of plastic debris calls for urgent action. There have been many attempts to address the problems ranging from international legislation to prevent the shipping of plastic at sea and campaigns to reduce losses from irresponsible industrial practice (Mayda, 2013:50). The most far reaching of the international and national initiatives was the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL). It was introduced in 1988 to ban the dumping of garbage from ships at sea. One hundred and twenty two countries ratified this Annex V of this treaty and its implementation has since reduced marine debris problem. Other measures put in place to address the problem include manual clean up of seafloor and shorelines as well as school and civic education programmes. The ultimate solution to the debris problem would be the implementation of the “Zero Waste” concept. This strategy encompasses waste recycling, reduction and reuse as well as producer responsibility and echo-design (Mayda, 2013:21). This would translate into the reduction of plastic usage such that they only exist within the recovery infrastructure. Biodegradable plastics could also be used where plastic is very necessary. According to biodegradable plastics association, such plastics break down to carbon dioxide and water. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) of the United States government are pioneering a method to locate debris at sea. By using a satellite, convergence zones of debris can be identified. Aircrafts with special sensors then isolate the areas of convergence. There is an arising need to make ship operators and owners as well as offshore platform operators aware of the repercussions of irresponsible plastic disposal along the shores or inside the ocean. Many communities have beach cleanup days where they collect trash from along the seashores and beaches in a bid to conserve marine life. Several others should adopt this principle as well as other preventive mechanisms like picking up of trash before leaving the beach. Likewise, to avoid the destruction of marine life, people should keep the environment free of litter by throwing garbage in the right places. People should also reduce the use of plastics and shift to reusable shopping bags and reusable utensil sets. Both the government and the people should organize for the picking up of trash from gutters and drains so that they do not get to the ocean (Mayda, 2013:79). People should also never let go of balloons as they fly to the ocean shore destroying marine habitats. Enough care should be taken to ensure that suds from washing, oil from cars among other pollutants do not go down to the storm drain. Similarly, any landscaping should be protected to ensure that the slit does not wash into the ocean. Another essential method is provision of waste recycling and disposal facilities. These facilities should be placed strategically at shipping ports and harbors in coastal areas. Such facilities would help regulate waste if properly implemented. Another working strategy is to stop ghost fishing. This includes creating awareness on the problems caused by discarded nets and enforcing laws that prohibit such dumping (Mayda, 2013:43). Fishing companies should adopt the use of pots or traps that are made of biodegradable parts and. Retrieval of fishing gear should also be undertaken to alleviate the consequences of ghost fishing. Bibliography Andrady, A. L. 2003, Plastics and the environment. Hoboken, NJ, Wiley. Laws, E. A. 2000, Aquatic pollution: an introductory text. New York [u.a.], Wiley Mayda, C. 2013, A regional geography of the United States and Canada: toward a sustainable future. Lanham, [Md.], Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. National Research Council (U.S.) 2009, Tackling marine debris in the 21st century. Washington, National Academies Press. Woodley, J. 2002, Assessing and monitoring floatable debris. Washington, DC, Oceans and Coastal Protection Division, Office of Wetlands, Oceans, and Watersheds, Office of Water, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Read More