The ocean is suffering. While pollution is infiltrating our waters and climate change is happening all around us, how could it not be? A new story may indicate one way these problems are interacting to affect individual organisms (1,2).
An Unwelcome Resident
Pollution can enter the ocean in different ways, like littering or poor producer responsibility (3). Most key to this is people’s relationship between supply and demand of plastics (3). Once in the ocean plastic can transform, where larger pieces break down into smaller pieces (4). In the water, chemicals on the plastic can leach out of them and accumulate in the ocean (5,4).
The Problem of Pollution (well, one of them…)
From the University of Sydney, Australia (2), comes news that fish development can be slowed when they meet a plastic chemical and higher temperatures in the water (1). This chemical, bisphenol A (BPA), is a common though potentially harmful plastic ingredient that can leach from them (1,5). In marine animals, BPA can affect metabolism and growth, requiring extra energy to complete these things (1); something that was found to be especially true in hotter water temperatures that we are experiencing more because of climate change (2).
Not only does this problem impact individual animals, implications of impeded growth can affect marine food-webs and people. As more energy is needed to develop under warm and contaminated water conditions, organisms likely have a smaller biomass if they are not eating enough and are less efficient in transferring energy between trophic levels through predator-prey relationships (2). Bigger animals are most affected by this lost energy, because of how it is transferred along the food chain (1,2). From the boat to plate, humans are affected as smaller bodied fish are caught (1) and food consumption that could have concentrations of plastic chemicals (4).
Sam’s Stance
Marine pollution is a big problem, though it can be argued that our ocean is facing even greater threats that humans have a hand in, like overfishing (6), which are discussed less in the public. That being said, I believe this story is a demonstrative example of the direct, measurable, human impacts on marine life because of consumptive lifestyles-especially by Western Society. Though individual action may not solve this problem entirely, it can start with it. I believe in being mindful of my everyday choices, and thinking about what a sustainable lifestyle should look like to me. Honestly, recognizing the pattern of plastic production and consumption scares me. However, progress is being made and I want to be part of the solution, which could come in the form of supporting recycling programs. For example, in January Quebec expanded its deposit program for recyclable goods-including plastics- to reduce the amount of material entering landfills (7). No effort is wasted when it comes to the environment; see below for more information on ocean plastics and other threats you may be interested in!
Stay curious,
Sam Rhodes
Twitter: @_samrhodes
Learn More
Ocean Plastics
Short CBC documentary on ocean plastics: https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/1991553603902.
Local Vancouver organization (Ocean Ambassadors Canada) committed to addressing the plastic problem: https://oceanambassadorscanada.org/.
Another Threat: Overfishing
Positing by Souha Neguez on the Global Waste Cleaning Network on Overfishing: https://www.gwcnweb.org/2021/10/31/overfishing-a-current-serious-environmental-problem/.
References
(1) Lu, D. (2022, January 26). "Fish growth slowed by high temperatures and plastic chemical BPA, research finds". The Guardian. Retrieved 30 January 2022 from: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/jan/27/fish-growth-slowed-by-high-temperatures-and-plastic-chemical-bpa-research-shows.
(2) Kandziora, J. H., van Toulon, N., Sobral, P., Taylor, H. L., Ribbink, A. J., Jambeck, J. R., & Werner, S. (2019). The important role of marine debris networks to prevent and reduce ocean plastic pollution. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 141, 657-662. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2019.01.034.
(3) Pettipas, S., Bernier, M., & Walker, T. R. (2016). A Canadian policy framework to mitigate plastic marine pollution. Marine Policy, 68, 117-122. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpol.2016.02.025.
(4) Andrady, A. L. (2011). Microplastics in the marine environment. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 62(8), 1596-1605. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2011.05.030.
(5) Wu, N. C., Rubin, A. M., & Seebacher, F. (2022). Endocrine disruption from plastic pollution and warming interact to increase the energetic cost of growth in a fish. Proceedings of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences, 289(1967), 1-10. https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2021.2077.
(6) Jackson, J. B., Kirby, M. X., Berger, W. H., Bjorndal, K. A., Botsford, L. W., Bourque, B. J., Bradbury, R. H., Cooke, R., Erlandson, J., Estes, J. A., Hughes, T. P., Kidwell, S., Lange, C. B., Lenihan, H. S., Pandolfi, J. M., Peterson, C. H., Steneck, R. S., Tegner, M. J., & Warner, R. R. (2001). Historical overfishing and the recent collapse of coastal ecosystems. Science, 293(5530), 629-638. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1059199.
(7) CBC News Montreal (2022, January 26). "Quebec delays expanded deposit system for bottles, cans but still plans to reform recycling industry". CBC News. Retrieved 1 February from: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/quebec-postpones-expanded-deposit-system-1.6328422.