For many of us the recurring theme of the enormous accumulation of waste caused by human activities is a great concern. Through the ebb and flow of our daily lives, we discard large volumes of both solid and liquid waste products. Indeed, the current rate of consumption of biosphere resources means we need about one and a half additional planets just to satisfy our disproportionate demands.
One of the most prominent waste materials is plastic. In fact, today we are facing a global plastic pollution crisis (see here for more information). The most common plastic waste products include plastic food containers and shopping bags, which have a high discard rate and therefore accumulate rapidly. Many of these items end up in the sea, which has all too often been regarded as a global junk yard.
Marine animals, particularly vertebrates can be strangled by plastic strapping or old nets and suffer from ingesting small plastic items that they mistake for food. Bags, bottle tops, cigarette lighters and even small toys have been found in the stomachs of seabirds and turtles, obstructing the digestive tract. It is widely recognized that in addition to waste from the mainland, one of the biggest causes is related to the discard of plastics and other items from boats at sea.
While an international protocol exists to manage vessel waste (MARPOL), compliance with these rules depends on individuals.
ATF instructors have the chance to champion this cause while at sea. Therefore I paid attention to waste management practices aboard during my last trip. I found an interesting attitude to waste issues.
One crew member, Luis Montecino explained how plastic and other items are separated into different containers on Chilean trawl vessels. Luis went on to describe "... this is about being aware of the damage people can do to the environment, and how it is a cultural problem."
Clearly, on this vessel at least, the crew take the issue seriously. This is reflected in simple but significant details such as the presence of a container intended solely for the recycling of used batteries on the bridge. Hopefully, these small gestures will find a place beyond a fleet level, and on to a national and why not, international scale. The promotion of responsible practices by determined individuals can be passed on through our behaviour. These actions can in turn be integrated into the promotion of best practice in other components of vessel operations, such as the correct handling and release of birds caught in fishing gear.
This kind of positive attitude can be extended to include seabird conservation measures. The good thing is that in Chile, the crew are already aware of environmental issues and we can build on this existing awareness to generate the kind of understanding that leads to a very positive change for seabirds.