Aerial surveys document ocean debris around Hawaii

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press

Aerial surveys document ocean debris around Hawaii

Caleb Jones, Associated Press

Updated 6:49 pm, Tuesday, May 31, 2016

HONOLULU (AP) — A study of the eight main Hawaiian Islands shows that ocean debris regularly accumulates around the archipelago, and that most of it is not linked to the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan, state officials said Tuesday.

The aerial survey shows that much of the debris that accumulates on the shores of Hawaii is from items discarded carelessly across the Pacific, officials with the state Department of Land and Natural Resources said in a statement. Ocean currents can bring trash from as far away as the U.S. mainland and Asia to the shores of Hawaii.

"In order to characterize the potential ecological consequences of tsunami and other debris, it's important to quantify it," said Kirsten Moy, the state's marine debris coordinator. "Understanding the types, sizes and locations of debris accumulating on Hawaiian coastlines is crucial in developing plans to streamline removal and mitigate negative impacts."

The debris, mostly plastics but also wood, household goods, fishing gear and other items, accumulates in hot spots around the islands, mostly on the north and east shores where ocean currents deposit the trash.

Read more: http://www.chron.com/news/us/article/Aerial-surveys-document-ocean-debris-around-Hawaii-7955222.php

[lordsummerisle]

1. Sometimes I feel disgusted

to be a part of a species doing this sort of thing...

[13Dogs]

2. Sometimes?

Hard to not to feel that way every time you read the news. We are like a self created plague on the planet. At some point Mother Nature is gonna make the decision for us regarding the continued viability of the human race and we're not going to like what she says. But the earth has overcome several cataclysmic events in her history where all species were annihilated, so nature will recover and eventually prosper, just without humans...

[snooper2]

4. Interesting, could you name an event were all species were annihilated?

any time over the last four billion years or so

[Javaman]

3. isn't debris from the Japanese tsunami still floating out there? nt

[lunatica]

5. If ocean debris accumulates then it shouldn't be that hard to gather

Someone should think of a business where they can gather ocean debris and recycle it into something useful. Where are the ecological entrepeneurs?

With a large net even a relatively small boat should be able to tow tons and tons of the stuff.