By Canadian Press

1.8 million items of garbage strewn over Bay of Fundy bottom, study estimates

Nov 14, 2019 | 12:58 PM

HALIFAX — A survey estimates more than 1.8 million pieces of mostly plastic garbage are strewn over the bottom of the Bay of Fundy, prompting concerns about potential harm to marine life.

The study published today in Marine Pollution Bulletin found an average of 137 pieces of plastic litter, dumped or lost fishing gear and other garbage per square kilometre of ocean.

The researchers used still and video photography at 281 locations over the past three years to extrapolate the amount of garbage present in a bay known for sea life ranging from whales to scallops.   

Plastics, especially plastic bags, comprised slightly over half of the total, while fishing gear ranging from traps to gloves was close to 30 per cent, and other garbage — including tires or metal — was just over one fifth of the total.

Biologist Tony Walker, assistant professor in the school of resource and environmental studies at Dalhousie University, says the litter eliminates potential habitat and eventually breaks into microplastics that fish and invertebrates — and ultimately humans — can ingest and hold in their bodies.

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Researcher Alexa Goodman, lead author of the study, says governments should work with the fishing industry to have a recycling system for fishing gear.

In addition, she says she favours increasing initiatives to ban the use of single-use plastics, and she encourages individual citizens to stop using plastics such as coffee cups and bags.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published on Nov. 14, 2019.

The Canadian Press