A sea turtle entangled in a derelict net. Photo source: NOAA
“According to NOAA, plastic debris kills an estimated 100,000 marine mammals annually, millions of birds and fishes. The largest pieces of marine plastic debris, miles long discarded fishing nets and lines mostly, take an obvious toll on animals. These derelicts nets, called “ghost nets”, snare and drown thousands of larger sea creatures per year, such as seals, sea lions, dolphins, sea turtles, sharks, dugons, crocodiles, seabirds, crabs, and other creatures. Acting as designed, these nets restrict movement causing starvation, laceration, infection, and, in animals that need to return to the surface to breathe, suffocation.” —Captions: © SAF — Coastal Care.
Excerpts;
‘Over the past decade it’s thought that 10,000 turtles have been impacted by the ghost nets off northern Australia alone’…
The picture is taken from the upcoming environmental film Blue, which will be shown at the Ocean Film Festival UK & Ireland Tour.
These pictures show the horrific effects of plastic pollution and ghost nets on marine life and the world’s oceans.
Blue highlights issues faced by marine life around the globe, often in wild and remote places that you would imagine are untouched by the modern world…
Read Full Article, The Independent (08-18-2018)
Marine turtles dying after becoming entangled in plastic rubbish; Science Daily (12-18-2017)
Hundreds of marine turtles die every year after becoming entangled in rubbish in the oceans and on beaches, including plastic ‘six pack’ holders and discarded fishing gear…
Sea Turtles Face Plastic Pollution Peril, University of Exeter (10-09-2015)
A new global review that set out to investigate the hazards of marine plastic pollution has warned that all seven species of marine turtles can ingest or become entangled in the discarded debris that currently litters the oceans, and nesting beaches…
The Plastic Found In a Single Turtle’s Stomach, Independent UK (03-24-2011)
Plastics found in stomachs of deepest sea creatures; Guardian UK (11-15-2017)
New UN report finds marine debris harming more than 800 species, costing countries millions; United Nations (12-05-2016)
Marine debris is negatively affecting more than 800 animal species and causing serious losses to many countries’ economies, according to a United Nations report launched December 5th, 2016…
More plastic than fish in the sea by 2050, Guardian UK (01-19-2016)
One refuse truck’s-worth of plastic is dumped into the sea every minute, and the situation is getting worse, according to a new report launched at the World Economic Forum today. New plastics will consume 20% of all oil production within 35 years, up from an estimated 5% today…
