In Other News: The Ghosts in the Sea
The sea slug Tritonia nilsodhneri inhabits sea fan colonies
In last month’s newsletter, we reported on the finding that groups of soft corals, such as Pink Sea Fans, are becoming separate species due to unseen barriers limiting cross-breeding. Unfortunately, it looks like these genetically-distinct colonies could already be in trouble thanks to ‘ghost fishing’, a situation where discarded plastic fishing line, and other pollutants, entangles marine life.
Ghost fishing often makes the headlines when it ensnares large species, such as seals and cetaceans. However, a recent study by the University of Plymouth has warned that ghost fishing is having an impact on smaller, yet important species, like Pink Sea Fans. In this case, the onslaught of marine debris has resulted in ‘sea fangles’ (sea fans wrapped up in a ball of debris) finding their way onto south-west beaches. Some large sea fan colonies can be over 50 years old, and they provide a habitat for a wealth of other marine species, so their loss could have a profound effect on an area’s biodiversity.
But what can the public do to help, after all, fishing nets lost at sea are hard to clear away unless they appear on a beach. Yet we can help play a part in tackling the problem. When you’re next at the beach, consider doing a two-minute beach clean, because the less trash that’s left on a beach, the less trash that can find its way into the sea to further entangle animals.
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