Submitted by Anonymous on Tue, 01/01/2008 - 20:18
Forums
Human Impacts in Antarctica

Happy New Year to you all,

I was reading about plastic in sea water particularly in an area of the Pacific he called the Pacific Gyre. I wondered if any plastic ends up down there from currents or fish eating it.

Thanks, MIke from Colorado 

Wed, 01/02/2008 - 06:14

Ann Linsley

 Dear Mike,
 
The plastics and debris found in the Pacific Gyre are the result of using the oceans for a trash dump.  The Southern Ocean has a different circulation pattern from the Pacific.  Although it would be possible for trash to end up in the southern oscillation, it is more likely that it would be found closer to the Antarctic Peninsula region.  The debris that is in the water around McMurdo is found mostly in Winter Quarter's Harbor just adjacent to the McMurdo Station.  This debris is the result of trash and equipment removal on the part of the US Navy and exploration period.  It was not unusual to have discarded materials, hardware and machines placed on top of the ice in the harbor and allow it to sink to the bottom of the harbor floor when the ice melted enough in the middle of the summer (January).  I did see pictures and listened to the divers refer to large pieces of machinery that was used as a point of reference when they were diving in the harbor for us.    In regard to animal contamination, I have read about sea birds, penguins, seals and whales ingesting debris discarded from ships into the waters.  All of this was in reference to areas around the peninsula closer to larger populations in South America. 
 
Thank you for your question! 
Ann Linsley