The Great Pacific Garbage Patch

Also called the pacific trash vortex is a rotating ocean full of debris particles in the north Pacific Ocean. The exact size varies, depending on the concentration of marine debris in the area (Kostien, 2008).

(DePerro, A 2015, Fangle Magazine, photograph, viewed 22 May, <http://www.fanglemagazine.com/?p=1363> )

This large garbage patch are caused by two gyres, the west pacific gyre and the east pacific gyre. These two gyres create a large circular current in the north pacific which collect marine debris and gathers it in the middle.

(Oceanus, 2014, Project Oceanus, photograph, viewed 20 May, <https://projectoceanus.wordpress.com/2014/04/04/the-great-pacific-garbage-patch-in-a-nutshell/>)

 Management
Management varies due to different idea and legislations. The mot common one is by skimmer boats which remove surface material. When the debris washes up on land it can be collected by hand or by specialised beach-cleaning machines (Australian Government, 2014). Other places use "trash traps" which collect objects in small rivers before they reach the ocean. New projects have started by using ships with nets to catch plastic in the ocean such as the ship, New Horizon (Rees, 1995). There has been research into plastic-to-fuel conversion strategy that has been promoted by The Clean Oceans Projest (TCOP) (EPA, 2011). Many countries have placed laws to control ocean dumping including the organisation, United Nations who created MARPOL to reduce pollution of the sea. The USA passed the Ocean Dumping Act in 1972 which was to reduce and regulate sewage waste, radioactive waste, industrial waste and biohazard waste in waterways (Clayton, 2006).  

What Does Debris Do To The Environment

The Debris effect on the environment depends on what type of material has entered the area.

Ghost Nets

Fishing nets also called ghost nets can entangle many marine animals resulting in starvation, laceration, infection and suffocation. Fishing gear can settle on coral reefs which can cause abrasions to the branches, this reduces the diversity of invertebrates, fish and vertebrates that depend on the coral to survive (Laist, 1987).

(Kovban. E, 2013, Ghost Fishing, Viewed 22 May <http://www.ghostfishing.org/sail-rock-wrapped-by-ghost-net/>)

Plastics
This man-made material causes the most harmful effect out of all the other different types of debris. This is usually by animals ingesting the material causing blockages in their digestive, resulting in starvation and death (Shaw, 1994). Other species have indirectly consumed plastic by eating pray that has already ingested the material. Smaller plastics look similar to zooplankton which can cause large filter feeders such as whales to consume them (Derraik, 2004).

(Fackler. C, 2015, National Marine Sanctuaries Viewed 20 May <http://www.seaweb.org/getinvolved/oceanvoices/MelanieSiggs.php>)

Invasive Species
Some organisms have started to live on the plastic debris allowing them to travel to area they could not reach before. This allows invasive organism to enter ecosystems and cause irreversible damage (Shaw, 1994).

(Unknown, 2013, Pacific Whale Foundation, viewed 20 May <http://www.pacificwhale.org/content/pwf-staff-demonstrates-protocol-handling-suspected-tsunami-debris-and-hitchhiker-invasive-sp>)

Heavy Material
Heavy products such as iron and concrete structures do little damage as the sink to the sea floor. These materials help create scaffolding for artificial reefs.

(Unknown, 2015, Gold News, viewed 19 May, <http://www.goldnews.com.cy/en/hotel--tourism--leisure/vessel-scuttled-in-ayia-napa-to-form-artificial-reef>)

Nurdles
Nurdles also called mermaids tears, are small plastic pellets that resemble fish eggs. These plastic balls then proceed to poison the animal after being ingested (Ayre, 2006). Like most other plastics, Nurdles accumulate in the fatty tissues due to them being hydrophobic. These chemicals build up and can disrupt the endocrine system or can decrease the reproduction rate of animals.

(Gentlemanrook, 2008, Flickr, viewed 20 May, <https://www.flickr.com/photos/28451803@N00/2414135327> )

What is Marine Debris

Marine Debris is any waste that has been released into any body of water either accidentally or deliberately released. The debris is made up of plastic bags, balloons, buoys, rope, medical waste, glass and plastic bottles, cigarettes, beverage cans, polystyrene, fishing lines and nets (Australian Government, 2014).

(U.S. Department of Commerce 2015, photograph, viewed 20 May, <http://marinedebris.noaa.gov/discover-issue>)