Publication Date:
2022-05-26
Description:
© The Author(s), 2020. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License. The definitive version was published in Amon, D. J., Kennedy, B. R. C., Cantwel, K., Suhre, K., Glickson, D., Shank, T. M., & Rotjan, R. D. Deep-sea debris in the central and western Pacific Ocean. Frontiers in Marine Science, 7, (2020): 369, doi:10.3389/fmars.2020.00369.
Description:
Marine debris is a growing problem in the world’s deep ocean. The naturally slow biological and chemical processes operating at depth, coupled with the types of materials that are used commercially, suggest that debris is likely to persist in the deep ocean for long periods of time, ranging from hundreds to thousands of years. However, the realized scale of marine debris accumulation in the deep ocean is unknown due to the logistical, technological, and financial constraints related to deep-ocean exploration. Coordinated deep-water exploration from 2015 to 2017 enabled new insights into the status of deep-sea marine debris throughout the central and western Pacific Basin via ROV expeditions conducted onboard NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer and RV Falkor. These expeditions included sites in United States protected areas and monuments, other Exclusive Economic Zones, international protected areas, and areas beyond national jurisdiction. Metal, glass, plastic, rubber, cloth, fishing gear, and other marine debris were encountered during 17.5% of the 188 dives from 150 to 6,000 m depth. Correlations were observed between deep-sea debris densities and depth, geological features, and distance from human-settled land. The highest densities occurred off American Samoa and the main Hawaiian Islands. Debris, mostly consisting of fishing gear and plastic, were also observed in most of the large-scale marine protected areas, adding to the growing body of evidence that even deep, remote areas of the ocean are not immune from human impacts. Interactions with and impacts on biological communities were noted, though further study is required to understand the full extent of these impacts. We also discuss potential sources and long-term implications of this debris.
Description:
We wish to thank the Officers and crew of the NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer for shipboard support, NOAA OER, and the Global Foundation for Ocean Exploration team for their tremendous support during the fieldwork in the Pacific Ocean. We appreciate NOAA’s support for CAPSTONE which was a collaboration between OER, Office of Marine and Aviation Operations, Pacific Island Fisheries Science Center, Pacific Islands Regional Office, Deep Sea Coral Research and Technology Program, Office of National Marine Sanctuaries, National Center for Environmental Information, National Ocean Service, National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service, Oceanic and Atmospheric Research, and National Marine Fisheries Service. We also thank the Schmidt Ocean Institute, the Master and crew, the Master and crew of the RV Falkor, Kiribati Observer Arenteiti Tekiau, and Expedition Chief Scientist Erik Cordes, while working in the Phoenix Islands Protected Area under PIPA Research Permit #4/17, funded by NOAA OER (#NA17OAR0110083 awarded to RR, TS, and Erik Cordes). Further thanks to the scientists on board and on shore during all voyages. DA has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Program under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant agreement number 747946. DA would also like to acknowledge TBA21-Academy for providing a space for peaceful writing. CAPSTONE was completed in accordance with all regulations regarding environmental compliance and local permitting including the following permits: Kiribati Phoenix Islands Protected Area permit #1/17, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands Department of Lands and Natural Resources permit #03345; Hawai‘i Department of Land and Natural Resources permit #SAP-2016-64; Cook Islands Marae Moana Permit #05/17, National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa permit #NMAS-2017-001; American Samoa Department of Marine and Wildlife Resources permit #2017/001; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) import permit #17US36207C/9; Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument permit #PMN-2015-018; and Marshall Islands Ministry of Foreign Affairs #US/98-15. Any use of trade, product, or firm names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the United States Government.
Keywords:
remotely operated vehicle
;
CAPSTONE
;
litter
;
anthropogenic
;
plastics
;
fishing gear
;
marine protected area
;
national marine monument
Repository Name:
Woods Hole Open Access Server
Type:
Article
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