Greenpeace Shocking Discovery: Plastic Infested ‘Golden Jungle’ in Sargasso Sea!

Greenpeace UK activists have found hundreds of pieces of plastic in the Sargasso Sea, located in the Atlantic Ocean. The discovery was made during a 30-minute observation of a relatively small mat of sargassum seaweed, also known as the golden algae. This algae forms massive floating mats, which give the Sargasso Sea its name.

The activists are part of a five-day journey aboard the Arctic Sunrise, a ship crossing the ocean to advocate for the establishment of a worldwide network of marine sanctuaries. This initiative is part of the Global Ocean Treaty. During an unplanned stop, the crew observed the sargassum seaweed and collected over 300 pieces of plastic, including bottle caps, disposable lighters, buoys, shoes, children's toys, and numerous smaller pieces of disintegrating microplastics.

Briony Venn, the head of the Ocean Campaign for Greenpeace UK, stated, "As soon as we saw the sargassum from the ship's bridge, we saw large pieces of plastic tangled in it. Each set of seaweed contained a significant amount of plastic pollution, from bottle caps to disposable cutlery."

Venn went on to highlight that plastic is just one of the threats facing the Sargasso Sea, with industrial fishing, increased shipping, and climate change also posing significant risks. She urged the UK to ratify the Global Ocean Treaty as soon as possible and collaborate with other governments to make the Sargasso Sea the world's first offshore ocean sanctuary under the Treaty.

The sargassum seaweed is unique to the Sargasso Sea and provides a crucial habitat for 10 species of crabs, fish, shrimps, and other creatures not found anywhere else. It also serves as a nursery for sea turtle hatchlings and a vital food source for seabirds migrating across the Atlantic Ocean.

The crew also removed a one-meter wide clump of "ghost nets" – discarded fishing ropes and gear – which could have ensnared sea turtles, seabirds, and other marine animals. This leg of the journey has helped document the diverse range of animals living in the Sargassum. The crew recorded sightings of humpback whales, pilot whales, dolphins, and a wide variety of fish and seabirds.

At one point, a group of at least 20 pilot whales surrounded the ship, and several humpback whales accompanied the Arctic Sunrise to the Bermuda islands. The crew also used a hydrophone (an underwater microphone) and DNA sampling techniques to better understand the distribution and migration patterns of whales, dolphins, and other marine animals.

Two seabird conservationists from the Bermuda islands joined the expedition and recorded more than 10 species, including frequent visitors from the UK, such as Manx and Cap shearwaters, the northern storm-petrel, and the Arctic skua.

Industrial fishing fleets pose a significant threat to marine ecosystems like the Sargasso Sea due to their use of longline fishing lines, which can harm marine life.


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