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Gargantuan Garbage Gripes

A decade ago, a massive assemblage of refuse was discovered in waters between Hawaii and California-it came to be known as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Caused by a convergence of tides carrying trash debris from all over the globe, scientists predicted that similar masses could be found elsewhere in the world's oceans, but until now those predictions hadn't been confirmed.

Recently, however, it seems the discovery of another island-sized pool of pollution in the Atlantic, a giant swirling convergence in the Sargasso Sea, has proved those theories correct.

What's interesting about this liquid dumpsite is that, in essence, it's basically invisible. Because of the clashing tide directions, the materials comprising the Atlantic patch is so constantly thrashed and ravaged, in a constant state of movement and collision, that a majority of the plastics, etc. have been mostly broken down into a dangerous soup of tiny shards and fragments.

The location with the highest concentrations of plastics lies between 22 and 38 degrees north latitude, an offshore patch roughly equivalent to the area between Cuba and Washington, D.C.  An average concentration of plastic in this area is estimated at about 4,000 pieces per square mile, though it is as high as 250,000 pieces per square mile in some places.

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Ocean Publishing is an independent small press that specializes in nonfiction titles about nature, marine life, environment and conservation.

Featured News

North Atlantic Right Whales Return to Northeast Florida Coastal Waters

In an annual migration, pregnant female right whales journey from the Canadian maritime provinces and New England to the coastal waters of Florida to give birth to their calves. Other right whales in the migration may include adolescents and adults of both sexes, with females usually outnumbering males.

In a "good season," there may be more than 200 right whales off the Florida coast from December through March. This is about half the total population of this species which once had a population over 10,000.

Because the whales spend long periods at the surface, move slowly, and float when dead, early American whalers dubbed them the "right whale" to hunt. Although protected by international law since 1935, the species remains on the endangered list and appears to be making a painfully slow recovery at about 2% per year, while some other large whales have experienced a faster growth.

Right whales are a delight to observe as they move slowly along the coast, often within 1000 feet of the shore. Visible to the naked eye, right whales present a visual impact to first time observers and seasoned veterans alike. There is something special about seeing a 45-50 foot, 50-60 ton animal, accompanied by a calf and perhaps other adolescent or adult whales.

For more information about North Atlantic right whales, visit these sites: http://www.rightwhaleweb.org/
http://rwcatalog.neaq.org/Terms.aspx
http://marinelandrightwhale.blogspot.com/

We'll keep you posted about whale events during this season, visit us often to stay current.