![]() ![]() The least polluted was the Marshall Islands, with about 580 pieces a square kilometre.During the last major El Niño event in October 2015, above-average sea surface temperatures were found in places shown in orange and red.Įl Niño offers a global study in oppositesĪ strong El Niño heats up the atmosphere and changes circulation patterns around the globe. “As marine resources around the world dwindle, humans that rely on those resources are turning to deeper habitats and those closer to marine protected areas where fish remain abundant.”Ĭomoros, an island chain off the south-east coast of Africa, was the worst-affected location, with nearly 84,500 items of plastic in each square kilometre. “Our findings reveal some of the complex collective challenges we face when dealing with plastic pollution,” said Hudson Pinheiro, the lead author, from the University of São Paulo and a research fellow at the academy. ![]() ![]() ![]() The researchers noted that plastic can spread coral disease, and that fishing lines and nets can damage the structure of the reefs and thus harm fish abundance and diversity. There was more plastic pollution in reefs nearer to densely populated cities and markets, as well as marine protected areas, whose borders are heavily frequented by fishers. “We are almost always the first humans to set eyes on these deeper reefs, and yet we see human-produced trash on every dive.” Photograph: Luiz Rocha/California Academy of Sciences Almost three-quarters of larger items found were from ghost fishing gear, with plastic wrappers and bottles also common. ![]()
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