Ocean science news, explainers, and statistics covering marine environments, currents, climate, coasts, seafloor research, and the changing global ocean.
The ocean affects human health through food, climate, recreation, infectious agents, toxins and medicines. Healthy coastal ecosystems support nutrition and livelihoods, while polluted water or contaminated seafood can cause illness. The same environment can deliver benefits and hazards depending on ecological condition and exposure. Effects reach inland populations too. Ocean heat influences weather, seafood moves…
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A plastic bottle found on a beach may look weathered after a few years, yet its material can remain in the marine environment far longer. Sunlight makes some debris brittle. Waves grind weakened surfaces against sand and rocks, while temperature changes add stress. Weathering usually produces smaller fragments rather than a clean disappearance. The time…
Marine debris is persistent human-made solid material that has been lost, discarded or abandoned in the ocean, coastal water or Great Lakes. It ranges from a cigarette filter to a derelict vessel. The definition follows where an object ends up and how it got there, rather than one material or size. NOAA’s marine debris definition…
Ghost fishing happens when lost or abandoned fishing gear keeps catching animals without a fisher present. A drifting net can entangle wildlife, while a trap on the bottom may repeatedly attract and hold fish or crabs. Ropes and lines create additional hazards long after the original fishing trip ends. NOAA defines derelict fishing gear as…
