Marine Debris

Marine debris, commonly known as marine litter, is man-made waste that is deliberately or accidently released into oceans, lakes, seas or any other type of waterway. 6.4 million Tonnes of garbage are found in the world’s oceans every year and it just keeps increasing. 90% of this garbage is found to be plastic. Marine debris comes in many different forms. One form is ghost nets, these are fishing nets that fish and other creatures get caught in. The ghost nets restrict movement which means that they can cause infection and suffocation. Another category of marine debris is nurdles, which are small plastic pallets. They look extremely similar to fish eggs and are a huge component in the effects of marine debris. Plastic bags that have been released into the ocean can clog digestive tracks when swallowed. There is also the waste from cruise ships and oil rigs that play a role in this environmental issue. Six pack rings, that hold pop or beer in a bundle, often choke sea creatures. One creature that was affected was Peanut the turtle. Peanut was found in 1993 in Missouri with a six pack ring wrapped around her shell. Peanut was caught in this ring when she was a young turtle and was unable to get it off. As Peanut’s shell grew, the rings did not, giving her shell a peanut like shape. Peanut was taken to a zoo in St. Louis where the six pack ring was removed. Any other creature, like an otter would have died but Peanut’s shell protected her. Because of the six pack ring some of Peanut’s organs do not work as well as they should and Peanut’s shell will always look like this. Peanut is now in the care of the Missouri Department of Conservation and is doing well. Oil spills are another category in marine debris. The worst oil spill in U.S. history was the April 20, 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill. Not only did this oil spill affect marine animals, it also affected humans by killing eleven people. The well was not capped until eighty-seven days later by which