What's wrong with trash in the oceans??

[scubatexastony]

This is an Amstel "cannon".....

And this is what would be called "Fishin' Line Art!"

King Neptune guards the reef......

....as his septor gets encrusted!

 

[RoyN]

I lost my weight pouch only find an octopus moved in two weeks later. Being a smart kid and a biology major college boy, I left it there. Who am I to foreclose his house for especially the octopus didn't owe any bank debt. This was at BallBuster down in Carmel.

 

[LekicINC]

Wow Allison, I gotta use those for the site! You should check out the rest of her pictures. Like already said, Allison is more reffering to muck diving. "trash," I guess is a dirty word, so thats why muck works better! Its a little bit like artificial reefs, Ships are not natural but do provide a good hard surface for corals to grow on. There is a difference between that and anything organic that could dissolve and be part of the water column. Also, things that are hydrophobic like oil are no good either, because of how they react with many animals use of oils (i.e. preening). Plastic, is not good. Its not a good enough surface for corals to form polyps, its not hard like bottles or ships, and therefore, animals can get caught in them. Please if you see plastic PICK IT UP. Some stuff "trash," "muck" whatever you want to call it, is good, and that stuff will usually be taken up pretty soon. Real estate is expensive in the ocean! lets keep our reefs clean, but also remember that some stuff make great homes, even if they are artifical. Thats what makes a lot of muck diving sites great!

 

[Allison Finch]

Allison is not promoting trash in the oceans, this is just a light hearted look at the animals who thrive despite the trash and actually adapt to it. I'm sure none of us want to see garbage when we dive but I've seen some amazing marine life in water you would expect to be devoid of anything.

Thanks Diver Dennis, you are the only one who seems to "get" what I'm saying.:shakehead

 

[IceIce]

I think bottles are indeed favorite homes for critters . I found octopus in one and lemon goby in other.
But as the regard to other thrash, like plastic, it can harm the marine life as turtle like to mistaken it for jellyfish. I saw abandones fishing net with trapped fish inside too.

If you are saying that thrashes are good for homes, there are other things that might be better. Tree barks are favorite for small critters and juvenile, the holes provide homes for eels and even the cracks or the corners settled by frogfish etc. It might not be forever there, but it provides places for them to stay for quite a long time, maybe for the animal life span itself, and animal also do move every now and then.

Artificial homes like, I don't know how to describe it, the sphere metal with holes, look like underwater mines without spikes, er.. that also provide good homes for creatures.

 

[drbill]

I understood what Allison was trying to get across. However, despite the fact that some trash can serve a positive purpose, I think the best policy is no trash at all. Hmmm... but isn't one man's trash another octopus' treasure???

 

[scubadobadoo]

Nice pics Allison. I have some pictures of homeless people living in cardboard boxes and trash bags too, same thing right? I wouldn't take a homeless guys box from him.

 

[Jeremy Bouwman]

I was diving in a lake the other day (yes rather boring) and the only life I found was a crayfish in a shoe at 70 feet. Pretty funny looking sight.

 

[merxlin]

Thanks Diver Dennis, you are the only one who seems to "get" what I'm saying.:shakehead

Sorry Allison, a few of us replied before the pix came up and your comment was put into perspective. But honestly (and unfortunately) there are some people who would have made the comment and not have pix to post.

 

[diver 85]

I keep hearing divers bemoaning trash being thrown in the water. Yeah, I used to hate it too, before I discovered "Muck" diving. With the shortage of hiding habitat, there is a tremendous competition for what is there. You see all kinds of things. Well, even a beer bottle is a marketable habitat, as seen here;

I'm guessing you don't own an offshore fishing boat....I've seen refrigerators floating offshore in the Gulf of Mexico(from the Missisippi River), bags of garbage in rips, & hung big ropes(7 strand-the kind crewboats carry) between my motors running down the Miss. River heading to the Gulf......Friend of mine back in the late 70's even hit a submurged UW log on step(about 5' in diameter by about 25' long) in the Gulf probably drifting up from South America post large storm(hurricane)---btw, almost sunk him 40 miles out & messed his 25' Blackfin up horribly bad(tore his shafts & screws all out)......It's not a pretty site @ all & feel very uneasy running @ nite out there.......That little stuff you're showing is nothing compared to what's really out there......