Marine Debris - The Third Strand

I will populate this a little further when I get a chance in the coming days but here, for the record, is a list of speakers and presentations from the public seminar held on Monday. These were key note presentations/scene-setters for the workshop which is now ongoing here in Woods Hole.

Michael Moore, the Director of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution welcomed everyone.

Michael Moore

An Introduction to the work of the International Whaling Commission on environmental issues. Simon Brockington, Executive Secretary, International Whaling Commission

Simon Brockington

Marine Debris in our oceans – an overview. Nancy Wallace, Marine Debris Programme Director and Division Chief, US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Director Wallace speaks about the albatross chick known as 'shed bird'

All the little bits of plastic found in the chick after she died - the story of the picture can be found here

Whale entanglement: detection and impacts. Michael Moore, Director Marine Mammal Center, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

Whale entanglement: scope and response. David Mattila, International Whaling Commission

Microplastics – Cristina Fossi, University of Siena

Closing the loop: Repackaging plastic debris as a hazardous substance. Mark Browne, NCEAS, University of California

Questions Arising – Mark Peter Simmonds and Sarah Baulch, Environmental Investigation Agency

And the day concluded with a panel discussion featuring all the speakers.

Panel discussion

Woods Hole is the home to some amazing marine research - see below one of their famous deep sea research vessels,  the Atlantis, the capsule from 'Alvin' the famous underwater vehicle and Alvin's replacement peeking out from its bay on Atlantis.

One of the Wood Hole research vessels - The Atlantis -the big A frame at the back allows the deployment of manned and unmanned submersibles

The old capsule in which people used to descend to great depth  in the  famous submersible Alvin

Alvin's replacement peeking out from its bay  on the Atlantis