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> b) Another partial solution could be to build shredder ships Shredding the nets? Wouldn't this just make it a microplastics issue?

• pvaldes 7y ago
  We have yet a microplastics problem in any case, but could deal with it later if we assure first that turtles, sharks, swordfishes, seals and dolphins will not go extinct by being tangled in ghost nets. This would alleviate the huge fishing pressure over all valuable species of fishes also. Two problems solved, one remains. Ghost nets gradually wipe top predators that reproduce slowly. This has a noxious and permanent effect in the ecosystems, hitting specially hard the animals affected more by microplastics: small larvae and small fishes. In marine ecosystems there is always a cascading card house effect. More predators not tangled in nets -> more big fishes eaten -> more small fishes survive. Even more important, more turtles alive to eat jellyfishes (wich gobble fish larvae and eggs but ignore microplastics). In the end the current influence of microplastics over small species would decrease compensated by a lower predation pressure. Heavy cetaceans on the other hand can store incredible amounts of nasty substances on its fat for many years. Microplastics would affect them less than the current ball of 50 Kg of bags blocking the stomach and leaking chemicals. Small plastic portions could have much more probability of passing trough the digestive system of big vertebrates without blocking it also. Would be safer for ship navigation also (Lose nets can tangle in boat propellers).