What's wrong with trash in the oceans??

[Garrobo]

Back in the 70's I did some trips between Boca Raton and the Bahamas on a 60-footer belonging to a friend of mine. Most were made at night so we would get there at dawn but some in the daylight. I saw so many things floating around out there like logs, abandoned boats, etc that I was really on edge on those night time trips. You'd be barelling along when WHAM you'd hit something and he'd just laugh and say something like,"Mustabin a log, Dude." You can't believe ths stuff floating around on the surface.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

I long ago learned not to pass over any "trash" without looking to see who calls it home ... not that I condone dumping trash in the ocean, but some of this stuff does provide a habitat ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[diver 85]

Grateful..........had a DM tell us back in '86 on our 1st trip to Grand Cayman...'do not touch anything UW, that coke can may be some crabs condo'......never have forgotten that.....

 

[under water]

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!

Hmm.. I was under the impression that muck diving was about the sediment. Surely those creatures are not dependent on human refuse for their survival. The way you describe it, it sounds like watching bears at a town dump. I hope this is not a universal description of muck diving.
Trash in the water is pretty serious stuff and I believe that it can alter the natural habitats if it encourages species that thrive on our trash to dominate over the indigenous species. Think 'dump-gulls'.

What concerns me a lot more is the sheer volume of refuse that we send to the ocean as a solution for disposal, including run-off and sewage.

Matt.. Very nice website.. I want to get over to Indonesia or the Phillipines to do some muck diving soon. I'll need to make sure I get a magnifying glass or reading glass inserts for my mask though. I understand a lot of those creatures are very very small.

 

[60feet]

Hmm.. I was under the impression that muck diving was about the sediment... I hope this is not a universal description of muck diving...

From the varying responses to a thread on muck diving started a few weeks ago (here), it seems that there may not be a "unified theory" for muck diving. Interpretations range from poor viz to dirty water to barren bottoms to man-made discards.

Allison's photos seem to suggest a barren, sandy/silty bottom environment which contains some man-made discarded objects (bottles). Even without the bottles, that would suggest the classical description of muck diving, typically used and practiced in certain places such as Lembeh et al, in Southeast Asia: diving on barren bottoms or places other than coral reefs, wrecks, caves, etc. Matt (LekicINC) has created a pretty cool website on muck diving: www.muck-diving.com with some very nice pictures.

From Allison's original post and all the responses, I don't think that anyone is advocating dumping materials and objects into the ocean to provide nice habitats for marine animals. Rather, I interpret the spirit of the OP as, when diving if one comes across a piece of man-made object that is already there, take a closer look - there maybe some cool critter to be found there. Whether or not the diver chooses to pick up that man-made object to "clean up" the ocean is another matter and, well... there are already some responses in this thread which provide suggestions on that.

 

[Allison Finch]

60feet....EXACTLY!!

Grateful...wonderful pictures. I was hoping to encourage such a reaction from photographers. It is always so much fun to see how critters appreciate such additions to the topography.

 

[under water]

From the varying responses to a thread on muck diving started a few weeks ago (here), it seems that there may not be a "unified theory" for muck diving. Interpretations range from poor viz to dirty water to barren bottoms to man-made discards.

Wow, having read that thread I can see the confusion. I was under the impression muck diving was the Lembeh type.

Allison's photos seem to suggest a barren, sandy/silty bottom environment which contains some man-made discarded objects (bottles). Even without the bottles, that would suggest the classical description of muck diving, typically used and practiced in certain places such as Lembeh et al, in Southeast Asia: diving on barren bottoms or places other than coral reefs, wrecks, caves, etc. Matt (LekicINC) has created a pretty cool website on muck diving: www.muck-diving.com with some very nice pictures.

Yes.. Nice website Matt..

From Allison's original post and all the responses, I don't think that anyone is advocating dumping materials and objects into the ocean to provide nice habitats for marine animals. Rather, I interpret the spirit of the OP as, when diving if one comes across a piece of man-made object that is already there, take a closer look - there maybe some cool critter to be found there. Whether or not the diver chooses to pick up that man-made object to "clean up" the ocean is another matter and, well... there are already some responses in this thread which provide suggestions on that.

I can buy that. However, I am always concerned about those who will rationalize that throwing a bottle (or engine) overboard is a good thing because some fish will use it for shelter. In Bonaire, in one spot, they are putting down big hollow concrete balls to help rebuild reefs that were damaged some years ago. I did see an octopus that used a pipe for shelter, but I don't think he would have been homeless without it.
Maybe in the true muck areas, the bottles, etc actually allow different species to dominate where they wouldn't even be. What does this do to an ecology that we know little to nothing about?

I long ago learned not to pass over any "trash" without looking to see who calls it home ... not that I condone dumping trash in the ocean, but some of this stuff does provide a habitat ...
... Bob (Grateful Diver)

Very cool pictures Bob. That second one looks a bit like an elephant in the whatever that is.

 

[beezwax]

I just threw a file cabinet and an old microwave into the lake here, figured I could start a gated community...Castaway Acres perhaps.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Very cool pictures Bob. That second one looks a bit like an elephant in the whatever that is.

It's a pair of gunnels and a tiny metridium anemone inside an encrusted metal pipe ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[river_sand_bar]

Just Mother earth making the best of what we have to dish out to her.... VERY kewl!!!

One thing that drives me NUTS... is Styrofoam.. in cups, as packing material.. anything.. that stuff NEVER goes away. I work on the waterfront and near a storm drainage that dumps into San Diego bay... and after a rain, the crap that comes out of there makes me sick to see. And whats the one thing that I ALWAYS see after a rain... is floating Styrofoam crap!!!

That stuff should be OUTLAWED!!!

*Jim jumps off his soapbox now*