Entangled in trash

Some readers will know there are some reoccurring themes in this blog and one of these is marine debris (along, of course, with badgers, one-legged pigeons, views of the canal, the starling flock and images of places that I wash up).

Anyway this is about the terrible, ensnaring and wildlife torturing issue of marine plastics including lost and discarded fishing gear.

It was gratifying to see that when the G7 world leaders met this month that marine debris was on the agenda and they issued an action plan which you can find HERE (page 8)

So certainly marine debris is now high on the international political agenda and this is thanks to those that have been campaigning on it for years, like the Marine Conservation Society with their famous beach cleans and assessments in the UK (Beachwatch). I have mentioned previously the new campaign about lost and discarded fishing gear coming from World Animal Protection and here is a LINK to a film they issued a few days back to coincide with World Oceans day (be warned there is footage of entangled seals included).

Here is a Californian sealion that I saw off San Diego which was hauled out on a bait station. You can see the circumscribing wound that either marks some embedded plastic or the scar where he was previously entangled. In my experience now it is difficult to go and look at a seal or sealion colony anywhere in the world without seeing one or more animal with netting or some other debris attached.