Helena Joyce
Marine pollution is a pressing issue that poses a threat to the health and survival of ocean animals. The world's oceans, covering over 72% of the Earth's surface, are being inundated with pollutants, including chemicals and trash, primarily from land-based sources. Plastic pollution, in particular, has become a global crisis, with billions of pounds of plastic accumulating in our oceans and causing detrimental effects on marine life.
The impact of plastic pollution on ocean animals is twofold. Firstly, animals such as seabirds, sea turtles, seals, whales, and dolphins often mistake plastic debris for food, leading to intestinal injuries and death. Secondly, they can become entangled in plastic waste, such as abandoned fishing gear, resulting in immobilization, infection, and drowning. This crisis extends beyond marine animals to humans, as plastic pollutants make their way up the food chain, eventually reaching our seafood and consumption.
The growing presence of plastic in our oceans demands urgent action. It is essential to address this issue through individual efforts, such as reducing plastic consumption and proper waste disposal, as well as global initiatives and regulations to curb plastic pollution and protect marine ecosystems and the organisms that depend on them.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Marine animals affected | Fish, seabirds, sea turtles, seals, whales, dolphins, seahorses, monk seals, albatross, humpback dolphins, sharks, plankton, krill |
| Types of pollution | Plastic, chemicals, trash |
| How animals are affected | Ingesting plastic, getting entangled in plastic, changes in mating and breeding behaviour, starvation, intestinal injury, infection, drowning |
| Plastic in oceans | 15-51 trillion pieces, 40% of ocean surfaces, 80% of plastic from land sources |
| Plastic production | 300 million tons of plastic per year, 40% of which is single-use |
| Plastic in oceans per year | 8 million tons, equivalent to a garbage truck's worth of plastic every minute |
| Plastic decomposition | Hundreds of years, some break down into microplastics |
| Microplastics | Less than 5mm in diameter, found in plankton, whales, and other marine species |
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What You'll Learn
Plastic ingestion
The sharp edges of broken-down plastic can also cause internal injuries, infections, and internal bleeding. These injuries can lead to scarring, or fibrosis, a condition known as plasticosis. This makes it harder for animals to digest their food, and can seriously weaken them, making them more susceptible to illness and infection.
All seven species of sea turtles have been confirmed to eat plastic marine debris, often mistaking plastic sheeting and bags for their jellyfish prey. In a recent study, almost half of the loggerhead sea turtles examined had consumed some type of plastic, with one turtle ingesting 67 pieces. Sea turtles can also become positively buoyant and unable to dive if they ingest too much plastic that is less dense than seawater. This can lead to starvation, as well as make them more vulnerable to predators and boat strikes.
Research has found that over 40% of seabird species have ingested plastic, with some species, such as albatrosses, fulmars, and shearwaters, being particularly affected. The ingested plastic can get stuck in their gizzards, a section of the stomach that grinds food, and inhibit feeding. Adults may also pass ingested plastic on to their offspring.
A review found that 69 species of marine mammals, including 44 species of toothed whales, manatees, and multiple seal species, have been found to ingest plastic debris. Baleen whales, which filter large amounts of water while feeding, may also get plastic entangled in their baleen plates.
Plastic can also carry harmful pollutants, absorbing or releasing chemicals that can enter the body of an animal if ingested. These chemicals can also be passed up the food chain, impacting wildlife across the food web.
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Entanglement in plastic
Various marine animals, including sea turtles, seals, whales, dolphins, seabirds, fish, and crustaceans, are vulnerable to entanglement. The problem is not limited to a specific region but is observed globally, with reports of entanglement incidents from New Zealand, California, Hawaii, the Mediterranean Sea, and the Southern Ocean, among other places.
The impact of entanglement goes beyond the direct harm to entangled individuals. It can also affect the reproductive performance and quality of life of the affected animals. Additionally, derelict fishing gear, such as nets and lines, can continue to capture target fish and other species long after being abandoned, leading to a phenomenon known as "ghost fishing." This further contributes to the decline of marine populations.
The sources of plastic debris contributing to entanglement are diverse and include both land-based and marine-based origins. The longevity and buoyancy of plastic materials, particularly synthetic fibres like nylon, pose a persistent threat to marine life. The very properties that make plastic desirable for human use are the same ones that create a plethora of problems in marine environments.
The magnitude of the problem is expected to grow, with increasing plastic production and the fossil fuel industry's plans to expand plastic output. Addressing this issue requires urgent action, including reducing plastic use, promoting recycling, and advocating for regulations that treat plastic pollution as a hazardous waste.
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Plastic in seafood
Plastic in the ocean is a pressing issue that affects marine life in a variety of ways. One of the most common ways that plastic harms ocean animals is through ingestion. Sea turtles, for example, often mistake plastic bags for jellyfish, their staple diet. Similarly, seabirds have been observed mistaking small plastic fragments floating on the water's surface for food.
Another issue is entanglement, where large items of plastic capture and restrict the movement of marine mammals and fish, leading to starvation, injury, and increased vulnerability to predators. Discarded fishing nets can also smother and break coral reefs, hindering their growth.
Microplastics, plastic particles smaller than 5mm, are of particular concern. Due to their microscopic size, they are easily consumed by marine life and can accumulate in their bodies. Microplastics have been found in various seafood species, including fish, shellfish, crustaceans, and mollusks. A study of mussels sourced from UK waters found that 100% of the samples contained microplastic pieces.
The presence of microplastics in seafood raises concerns about potential health risks for humans who consume these contaminated animals. While the long-term effects are yet to be fully understood, microplastics can absorb and transfer toxins to the fatty tissues of the organisms that ingest them.
Additionally, plastic pollution in the ocean can lead to toxic contamination and disrupt marine ecosystems. It is estimated that marine plastics contribute to the death of more than 100,000 marine mammals annually.
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Mating and breeding grounds affected
Noise pollution in the ocean is a serious threat to marine life, and it can have a significant impact on the mating and breeding habits of many species. Firstly, it interrupts their normal behaviour and drives them away from their usual breeding grounds. This disruption can lead to a decrease in successful reproduction and even cause injuries or death.
Whales and dolphins, for example, rely on their highly developed sense of hearing and echolocation for vital functions such as mating, finding prey, and avoiding predators. However, human activities like commercial shipping, oil exploration, and military exercises create excessive underwater noise that interferes with these natural processes. The increased background noise makes it harder for these animals to communicate, coordinate, and detect danger, affecting their ability to reproduce and survive.
The impact of noise pollution on marine mammal populations is evident. Studies have shown that explosive sounds from hydrocarbon exploration can cause whales and dolphins to avoid certain areas, even if they are important calving or feeding grounds. Naval anti-warfare sonar has led to fatal strandings and deaths at sea, possibly due to decompression sickness. In some cases, haemorrhaging in vital organs like the heart and brain has been observed within hours of exposure to such intense noise.
Additionally, noise pollution can affect the mating and breeding habits of other marine species beyond whales and dolphins. For instance, boat noise has been shown to reduce nest care in fish, increase brood mortality, and impair the ability of some fish to assess risk. Noise from ferries can cause schools of tuna to become uncoordinated, potentially impacting their migration accuracy.
The effects of noise pollution on marine life are far-reaching and can have long-lasting consequences. It disrupts the natural behaviours and communication of many species, driving them away from their mating and breeding grounds and impacting their reproduction and survival.
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Pathogens encouraged by plastic
Plastic waste in the ocean can encourage the growth of pathogens, which can have devastating effects on both animal and human life. A recent study found that corals that come into contact with plastic have an 89% chance of contracting diseases, compared with a 4% likelihood for corals that do not.
Microplastics, in particular, have been found to carry pathogens from land to the ocean, with serious consequences for wildlife and human health. A study from the University of California, Davis, found that microplastics can carry land-based parasites to the ocean, allowing disease-causing pathogens to concentrate in plastic-contaminated areas. These pathogens, such as Toxoplasma gondii, Cryptosporidium (Crypto), and Giardia, can infect both humans and animals, causing illnesses ranging from gastrointestinal disease to lifelong illnesses and developmental and reproductive disorders.
The presence of these pathogens in the ocean can have far-reaching impacts. For example, T. gondii, a parasite found only in cat faeces, has infected and killed many ocean species, including critically endangered wildlife such as Hector's dolphins and Hawaiian monk seals. Additionally, microplastics can carry antibiotic-resistant bacteria, which can survive longer on plastic than when free-floating. This further complicates the issue and poses a significant threat to both animal and human health.
The issue of plastic pollution in the ocean is a pressing global concern. As plastic waste continues to accumulate, the risk of pathogen spread and disease increases, highlighting the urgent need for coordinated efforts to address this issue and protect the health of both marine ecosystems and humans.
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Frequently asked questions
Pollution affects ocean animals in a variety of ways, from ingestion of plastic and other debris to entanglement, both of which can lead to death.
When ocean animals ingest plastic, it can cause intestinal injuries and even death. It can also give them a false sense of fullness, leading to starvation. Plastic can also release toxic chemicals, which are then absorbed into the animals' tissues. These toxins can migrate up the food chain, eventually reaching humans.
According to research, plastic ingestion is widespread among ocean animals. It is estimated that half of all sea turtles have ingested plastic, and plastic debris is pervasive on their breeding grounds, affecting their reproduction rates. Additionally, scientists estimate that 60% of seabird species have eaten plastic, with predictions that this number will rise to 99% by 2050.
Entanglement in plastic can restrict the movement of ocean animals, making it difficult for them to find food or escape from predators. It can also cause injuries and increase the risk of deadly infections. Entanglement can lead to drowning, especially for marine mammals that need to surface to breathe.
The primary sources of plastic pollution in the ocean are single-use plastics such as straws, packaging, bottles, and balloons, as well as debris from construction, ports, industrial areas, and poor waste management. These plastics can take hundreds to thousands of years to decompose, posing a long-term threat to marine life.
