Marine Debris

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Marine debris, especially plastic, is harming our ocean ecosystems. All marine debris comes from people. It can enter the ocean and waterways from land through littering, poor waste management practices, storm water discharge, and extreme natural events such as tsunamis and hurricanes. Debris can also come from ocean-based sources, such as fishing vessels, vessel sinking and groundings [redirect to 6.6], and cargo ships. Marine debris is a wide-ranging problem that requires many solutions to address, such as prevention, research, and removal.

Marine debris can impact a large variety of marine life, from small microorganisms to humpback whales. Animals may inadvertently eat debris or become entangled in it. Marine debris has many serious impacts: it causes economic losses, damages habitats, creates hazards for navigation that lead to costly vessel repairs or losses, spreads invasive species that harm ecosystems, and injures, sickens, or kills wildlife. If we are to address the increasing threats to marine animals and habitats, we must prevent and reduce the amount of debris released into the marine environment from human activities.