Sample Summary

Sample Locations in Glacier Bay and Northern SE Alaska

Sample Locations in SE Alaska

Sample Locations in Northern BC

Sample Locations South of Cape Caution, BC

Field work is now complete.  I collected 62 samples by towing with very little indication of plastic other than Styrofoam.  Two more samples were collected by simply dipping a 5 gallon bucket into a mass of Fucus and other debris - these both had lots of plastic.   Styrofoam is mainly observed near cities.  Locations are depicted above and subjective results are summarized below.  In addition, I inspected many beaches and regularly observed macroplastic, such as pop bottles, in remote areas where tidal currents have created zones where Fucus and other debris become concentrated.  Sampling these zones with a net is not possible because it would completely fill up in in seconds.  Nevertheless, some of my samples are very heavy with Fucus and other seaweeds so, if there is an association with microplastics not readily visible at 2X, they may yet be observed.

Midway through the field work I received a few PowerPoint slides from Erik Zettler at SEA in support of the seminar I gave at Glacier Bay National Park .  One of the slides included an unpublished general summary of samples collected offshore from Vancouver Island up through SE Alaska.  About 2/3 of SEA's samples contained no plastic.  As a result, I am now feeling confident that my samples accurately reflect the situation along the Inside Passage and that small pieces of hard plastic are very rare.

Sample Number: 1
Date: 5-May
Location: Rocky Pt., Camano Is
Subjective Plastics: None
Comments: Lots of diatoms, filamentous green algae, and crab exoskeletons ~1 cm. Collected in very large circle

Sample Number: 2
Date: 6-May
Location: Lopez Sound (South)
Subjective Plastics: None
Comments: Very little material in the sample

Sample Number: 3
Date: 7-May
Location: N. Pender Island
Subjective Plastics: None
Comments: Primarily very small amphipods & megalops

Sample Number: 4
Date: 8-May
Location: Silva Bay
Subjective Plastics: Lots of small Styrofoam pieces
Comments: Used Dinghy (~2 kts.) Lots of Sargassum

Sample Number: 5
Date: 9-May
Location: Strait of Georgia near Silva Bay
Subjective Plastics: Small amount of Styrofoam
Comments: Mostly green algae

Sample Number: 6
Date: 13-May
Location: Bolenas Is
Subjective Plastics: None
Comments: Ctenophores, several small fish, teaspoon full of fish eggs, amphipods. Very small volume sample.

Sample Number: 7
Date: 13-May
Location: NW end Texada Island
Subjective Plastics: Small amount of Styrofoam
Comments: 30 minute tow because plastic is so rare. Lots of amphipods. Small volume sample.

Sample Number: 8
Date: 13-May
Location: Outside Squirrel Cove
Subjective Plastics: None
Comments: Mostly green algae and ctenophores

Sample Number: 9
Date: 14-May
Location: West of Dent Rapids
Subjective Plastics: Maybe 1 piece of Styrofoam
Comments: Lots of amphipods, fish eggs, megalops, and some interesting polychaetes. Small volume sample.

Sample Number: 10
Date: 15-May
Location: Johnstone Strait E. of Robson Bight
Subjective Plastics: None
Comments: Entire sample is only a teaspoon full. Mostly a variety of very small arthropods

Sample Number: 11
Date: 17-May
Location: Port McNeill
Subjective Plastics: None
Comments: Two trips; across Port McNeill in the dinghy. The largest sample to date - about two quarts. Almost all tree bark and Ulva.

Sample Number: 12
Date: 19-May
Location: Queen Charlotte Strait off Port Hardy
Subjective Plastics: None
Comments: Small sample

Sample Number: 13
Date: 21-May
Location: Fitzhugh Sound
Subjective Plastics: None
Comments: About 1/4 cup of a spiny larvae <1.0 mm. Taxa unknown

Sample Number: 14
Date: 22-May
Location: Bella Bella
Subjective Plastics: Small amount of monofilament & possibly other filamentous plastic. Some Styrofoam
Comments: Approximately 2 quarts of Fucus

Sample Number: 15
Date: 23-May
Location: Mathieson Channel
Subjective Plastics: None
Comments: Small sample, mostly Ulva and misc. debris

Sample Number: 16
Date: 24-May
Location: Butedale
Subjective Plastics: Small amount of Styrofoam
Comments: Approximately 1 gallon of material. Mostly Fucus and woody debris. Low flowmeter count indicates either fouling or high back pressure due to amount of debris.

Sample Number: 17
Date: 25-May
Location: Ursula Channel
Subjective Plastics: None
Comments: Very small sample. Mostly small algae and vegetation

Sample Number: 18
Date: 25-May
Location: South entrance of Grenville Channel
Subjective Plastics: At least one small piece of Styrofoam
Comments: Very large sample full of conifer needles and other plant material

Sample Number: 19
Date: 27-May
Location: Chatham Sound
Subjective Plastics: None
Comments: About a cup of bark and conifer needles

Sample Number: 20
Date: 28-May
Location: Prince Rupert Harbor
Subjective Plastics: At least one small piece of Styrofoam
Comments: About a cup of woody debris

Sample Number: 21
Date: 29-May
Location: Revillagigedo Channel
Subjective Plastics: None
Comments: Small sample. Mostly medusae including one Cyanea

Sample Number: 22
Date: 31-May
Location: Tongass Narrows, Ketchikan
Subjective Plastics: Lots of plastic. Mostly Styrofoam but some hard plastic also.
Comments: About two quarts of Fucus in addition to smaller debris.

Sample Number 22B
Date: 31-May
Location: Bar Harbor Marina, Ketchikan
Subjective Plastics:  Lots of plastic - both Styrofoam and hard.
Comments: Large amounts of debris was washing through the marina with the current.  This sample was from a 5-gallon bucket dipped into what was washing past Hobbit.

Sample Number: 23
Date: 31-May
Location: Clarence Strait just south of Meyers Chuck
Subjective Plastics: None
Comments: About two quarts of Fucus in addition to smaller debris. Fucus fouled flowmeter.

Sample Number: 24
Date: 2-June
Location: Zimovia Strait about 5 mi. south of Wrangell
Subjective Plastics: None
Comments: The entire sample was only about a teaspoon full of plant material

Sample Number: 25
Date: 4-Jun
Location: Sumner Strait near S. end of Wrangell Narrows
Subjective Plastics: None
Comments: About 1/2 cup of plant debris

Sample Number: 26
Date: 5-Jun
Location: Petersburg harbor in Narrows
Subjective Plastics: A fiew small pieces of Styrofoam
Comments: About 6 quarts. Mostly Fucus, Nereocystis, Ulva

Sample Number: 27
Date: 7-Jun
Location: Frederick Sound between Thomas Bay and Cape Strait
Subjective Plastics: None
Comments: Less than one teaspoon. Megalops and small, clear eggs

Sample Number: 28
Date: 9-Jun
Location: Frederick Sound between Cape Fanshaw and Kupreanof Is
Subjective Plastics: None
Comments: Feeding humpback whales in the area. Sample size about 1 Tbsp. Mostly megalops

Sample Number: 29
Date: 11-Jun
Location: Stephens Passage between Pybus and Gambier Bays
Subjective Plastics: None
Comments: About 1/2 cup, mostly Alaria fistulosa

Sample Number: 30
Date: 15-Jun
Location: Stephens Passage just north of Tracy Arm
Subjective Plastics: None
Comments: About 1 gallon. Mostly Fucus

Sample Number: 31
Date: 18-Jun
Location: Juneau Harbor
Subjective Plastics: None
Comments: About 1 quart of pea soup consistency algae (diatoms, filamentous green, possibly cyanobacteria) uniformly coated the inside of the net. Will dry to less than a cup. No flowmeter fouling.

Sample Number: 31B
Location: Harris Harbor, Juneau
Subjective Plastics: Lots of Styrofoam
Comments: Five gallon bucket of flotsom beside boat while at dock. Mostly Fucus

Sample Number: 32
Date: 23-Jun
Location: Stephens Passage west of Douglass Is. near Auke Bay
Subjective Plastics: None
Comments: About 3 cups of pea soup consistency algae (diatoms, filamentous green, possibly cyanobacteria) uniformly coated the inside of the net. Will dry to less than a cup. No flowmeter fouling.

Sample Number: 33
Date: 24-Jun
Location: Lynn Canal north of Berners Bay
Subjective Plastics: None
Comments: About 2 Tbsp of a stringy algae. Seven or eight humpbacks feeding immediately north of sample.

Sample Number: 34
Date: 26-Jun
Location: Skagway
Subjective Plastics: None
Comments: About 3 Tbsp of mostly conifer needles. Dinghy Tow at 2 kts SOG

Sample Number: 35
Date: 1-Jul
Location: Lynn Canal outside James Bay
Subjective Plastics: 1 Piece Styrofoam
Comments: Three gallons of flotsom, mostly Fucus. Essentially all 3 gallons entered late in the tow in about 10 seconds.

Sample Number: 36
Date: 2-Jul
Location: Icy Strait west of Swanson Harbor
Subjective Plastics: None
Comments: About half a cup of Ulva, Fucus, and Zostera marina.

Sample Number: 37
Date: 3-Jul
Location: Glacier Bay west of Bartlett Cove
Subjective Plastics: None
Comments: About 3 cups, mostly Alaria fistulosa and Fucus. A Tbsp of plankton, probably mostly krill.

Sample Number: 38
Date: 3-Jul
Location: Glacier Bay, SW of Drake Is
Subjective Plastics: None
Comments: About 3 Tbsp. Mostly glacial till.

Sample Number: 39
Date: 3-Jul
Location: Glacier Bay, East of Blue Mouse Cove
Subjective Plastics: Probably none
Comments: About 1 cup, mostly Fucus. Had a lot of small white pieces that were soft but not Styrofoam.

Sample Number: 40
Date: 4-Jul
Location: Glacier Bay, north of Reid Inlet
Subjective Plastics: Probably none
Comments: About 1 Tbsp. Mostly a stringy mass reminiscent of man-made fiber. More small white pieces. Need laboratory analysis.

Sample Number: 41
Date: 6-Jul
Location: Glacier Bay, by Adams Inlet
Subjective Plastics: None
Comments: About 1/2 cup, mostly Fucus

Sample Number: 42
Date: 6-Jul
Location: Central Glacier Bay NW of N Marble Island
Subjective Plastics: Possibly one piece although maybe it’s a shell
Comments: Smallest sample to date. About 1/4 tsp

Sample Number: 43
Date: 8-Jul
Location: Icy Strait starting at the entrancer to Glacier Bay
Subjective Plastics: None
Comments: About 1/3 cup of diatoms and filamentous algae totally coated the inside of the net

Sample Number: 44
Date: 9-Jul
Location: Icy Strait outside Flynn Cove just west of Hoonah
Subjective Plastics: One pieceof styrofoam
Comments: About 2/3 cup of diatoms and filamentous algae totally coated the inside of the net

Sample Number: 45
Date: 10-Jul
Location: Tenakee Inlet
Subjective Plastics: None
Comments: About 1 cup of diatoms and filamentous algae totally coated the inside of the net

Sample Number: 46
Date: 12-Jul
Location: Chatham Strait at intersection with Peril Strait
Subjective Plastics: None
Comments: About 1 cup of Fucus and "bloom". Fucus wrapped around flowmeter.

Sample Number: 47
Date: 13-Jul
Location: Chatham Strait south of Ell Cove
Subjective Plastics: None
Comments: About 2/3 cup of diatoms and filamentous algae totally coated the inside of the net

Sample Number: 48
Date: 15-Jul
Location: Frederick Sound near SE end of Admiralty Island
Subjective Plastics: one piece of hard plastic ~1/4 by 1/2 inch
Comments: About 1/2 cup bloom

Sample Number: 49
Date: 21-Jul
Location: Seward Passage at south tip of Wrangell Is.
Subjective Plastics: None
Comments: About 2 quarts, mostly Fucus. About half the net coated with bloom.

Sample Number: 50
Date: 31-Jul
Location: Grenville Channel in front of Kumealon Inlet
Subjective Plastics: None
Comments: About 1 cup of diatoms and filamentous algae totally coated the inside of the net

Sample Number: 51
Date: 1-Aug
Location: Grenville Channel just south of Lowe Inlet
Subjective Plastics: None
Comments: About 1 cup of diatoms and filamentous algae totally coated the inside of the net. Also some conifer needles and macroalgae

Sample Number: 52
Date: 3-Aug
Location: Finlayson Channel near north end
Subjective Plastics: 1 piece of thin hard plastic about 2 x 4 mm
Comments: About 1/2 cup, Mostly ctenophores.

Sample Number: 53
Date: 7-Aug
Location: Fitzhugh Sound, south end by Addenbroke Point
Subjective Plastics: None
Comments: About 1 Tbsp of algal bloom

Sample Number: 54
Date: 9-Aug
Location: Port Alexander (Port Alexander is really just an inlet and not a port)
Subjective Plastics: Two pieces of Styrofoam, 2 small pieces of hard plastic, handle to Rubbermaid tool
Comments: About 2 quarts. Heavy load of bloom, Fucus, Aurelia, about a hundred small medusa, conifer needles

Sample Number: 55
Date: 9-Aug
Location: Port Hardy
Subjective Plastics: 1 pellet of Styrofoam
Comments: About 1 cup. Mostly Lola or Acrtosiphonia and Ulva. Totally coated with bloom. 3 medusa

Sample Number: 56
Date: 11-Aug
Location: Johnstrone Strait near Port Neville
Subjective Plastics: About a dozen pieces of plastic, mostly Styrofoam
Comments: Towed through an assemblage of woody debris, mostly bark and conifer needles. About 1 quart.

Sample Number: 57
Date: 14-Aug
Location: Comox Harbor
Subjective Plastics: One chunk (1"x1/2") of styrofoam. Several small pieces of hard plastic
Comments: Dinghy tow. About 2 quarts. Mostly Zostera marina and Ulva intestinalis. Some ctenophores and very small crabs

Sample Number: 58
Date: 15-Aug
Location: Nanaimo Harbor
Subjective Plastics: Lots of styrofoam as well as hard plastic. Even a wrapper.
Comments: Dinghy tow. About 1 1/2 quarts. Mostly Sargassum and Zostera marina.

Sample Number: 59
Date: 16-Aug
Location: Trincomali Channel just South of Porlier Pass (Gulf Islands)
Subjective Plastics: 2 Styrofoam beads, one piece of hard plastic
Comments: About 3 quarts received in the last 45 seconds of the tow as went through debris field. Sargassum, Z. marina, U. intestinais, Cyanella.

Sample Number: 60
Date: 18-Aug
Location: Friday Harbor
Subjective Plastics: None
Comments: About 1/2 cup. Mostly ctenophores.

Sample Number: 61
Date: 18-Aug
Location: Oak Harbor
Subjective Plastics: None
Comments: About 2 cups of bloom

Sample Number: 62
Date: 19-Aug
Location: Possession Sound between Gedney Is. And Naval Station Everett
Subjective Plastics: None
Comments: About 1 quart of mostly Z. marina and bloom

MICROPLASTIC ABUNDANCE IN THE SURFACE WATERS ALONG THE

INSIDE PASSAGE OF WASHINGTON, BRITISH COLUMBIA AND ALASKA

During our trip to Alaska, we will be devoting a considerable effort to sampling microplastics in the marine environment.  This project is an outgrowth of the reawakening of my desire to get back into environmental research as a result of my studies at Friday Harbor Laboratories and subsequent classes at the University of Washington.

Many people helped me put this project together either by providing direct support or through discussion of issues and potential problems.  I would like to give particular thanks to:

Dr. Joel Baker, Port of Tacoma Chair in Environmental Science, University of Washington, Tacoma Center for Urban Waters
Dr. Giora Proskurowski, Project Scientist, Department of Oceanography, University of Washington, Seattle
Julie Masura, Faculty/Research Scientist, Environmental Sciences, University of Washington, Tacoma Center for Urban Waters
Dr. Alan Trimble, Project Scientist, Department of Biology, University of Washington

The following discussion is extracted from permit applications made to the National Park Service, The British Columbia Department of Fisheries and Oceans, as well as to the States of Alaska and Washington. 

I. ABSTRACT

Plastic pollution is becoming a major environmental problem known to kill wildlife and is endangering species such as the albatross that unwittingly provide plastic as food for their young. While plastic large enough to be easily visible has been regarded as a problem for many years, the importance of small particles of plastic is just beginning to be appreciated. In this study microplastics, i.e. plastic <5mm in diameter, will be quantitatively sampled approximately every 25 nautical miles along the Inside Passage from Everett, WA through British Columbia to Skagway, AK. A higher concentration of samples will be collected in Glacier Bay National Park because of its importance to marine life including whales. Samples will be taken with a surface skimming neuston net having a mesh size of approximately 330 microns.

II. OVERVIEW

Statement of issue
From beaches to oceanic waters, plastic pollution is becoming of increasing concern as it is appearing in the food chain and killing animals such as fish, birds, turtles, and seals. Plastic in the environment ranges in size from only a few hundred microns to many square feet. Plastic at the lower end of this spectrum with diameters < 5 mm has been dubbed “microplastic.” While all plastic is environmentally harmful, the effect of microplastic may be particularly onerous because of the ease with which it may be mistaken as food by organisms at the lower end of the food chain. Given the way they feed, small pieces of plastic, including microplastics, are almost certainly directly consumed by baleen whales as they feed on or near the surface.

While there have been numerous reports documenting plastic concentration in the open ocean, few studies have been conducted in near shore waters. No significant studies are known to have been conducted along the Inside Passage of Washington, British Columbia, and Alaska. No estimates of microplastic density have been identified for areas which are important feeding grounds for whales. The proposed project will sample microplastics with a surface skimming neuston net approximately every 25 miles from Everett, WA to Skagway, Alaska. Because it is an environmentally sensitive area, special attention will be given to characterizing the concentration of microplastics in Glacier Bay National Park (GBNP). This study will provide baseline data and help identify where to focus future research efforts.

Literature summary
There are numerous articles in the literature documenting the presence of microplastics in marine waters (e.g. Ryan et al. 2009, Arthur et al. 2009, Morét-Ferguson et al. 2010). Most studies have been in the open ocean. In their review of more than 20 years of data from the western North Atlantic and Caribbean Sea, Law et al. (2010) reported that Plastic marine pollution is a major environmental concern, yet a quantitative description of the scope of this problem in the open ocean is lacking. The University of Washington (2010) states that there has been no systematic survey of microplastic levels in likely ‘hot spots’ near sources or accumulation zones.

Figure 1: Plastic pellets called "nurdles" or "mermaid tears"

washed up on a beach. (NOAA Marine Debris Program)

In addition, there are many studies which have documented consumption of microplastics by marine organisms, particularly birds, but also invertebrates, fish, and seals through consumption of fish with plastic in their system. (e.g. Browne et al. 2008, Eriksson & Burton 2003,Gregory 1977, 1978, 1991; Laist 1997; Mato et al. 2001; Oehlmann et al. 2009; Shomura & Yoshida 1985, Teuten et al. 2009 and many more).

The Algalita Marine Research Foundation reported that 35% of plankton feeding fish collected during their 2008 study in the north Pacific had ingested plastic (Algalita 2009). The majority of the plastic was in the size range of 1 – 2.2 mm. No reports documenting consumption of plastics by whales have been identified. Nevertheless, it is almost certain that toothed whales, indirectly consume plastic by eating fish that have previously ingested it. Baleen whales, on the other hand, almost certainly ingest plastic directly as they feed; particularly when they feed in surface waters such as in Glacier Bay National Park. Baleen whales are also likely to ingest plastic indirectly as they feed on plankton eating fish such as herring.

Calls for management of microplastic inputs to the oceans cannot be addressed without basic knowledge of their distribution, how they enter the ocean, and what impacts they may have on organisms.

III. OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESES TO BE TESTED

The objective of this study is to conduct a preliminary assessment of the abundance and size distribution of microplastics in the surface layer of near shore waters of the Inside Passage from Everett, WA to Skagway, AK. Information gained may serve as a basis for more in depth studies in the future. The hypothesis being tested is that significant quantities of plastics, including microplastics, are present in the surface waters of the Inside Passage.

IV. PROCEDURES

Samples will be collected by dragging a surface skimming neuston net known as a manta trawl or, by brand name, a Mazur skimmer. for approximately 1 nautical mile at a speed of approximately 3 kts.

Figure 2: Surface Skimming Manta Trawl/Mazur Skimmer
(Photo: Talon Aviation LLC)

The manta trawl for in this study uses a commercially available 330 micron 1 meter (circumference) conical collection net approximately 2 meters long connected to a 1 liter “Cod End” collection cup. The floats or “wings” maintain the top of the net at the waters surface. The Skimmer frame is constructed of welded aluminum tubing and aluminum sheet. It measures approximately 80 cm by 25 cm by 35 cm when assembled. The two wings (floats), which support the frame, are attached to either side and are filled with closed cell foam for floatation. The total weight of the complete system is under 25 pounds.
Samples from waters in Washington State will or may be collected in fishery areas 6, 7, 8-1, and 8-2.

Samples from waters in British Columbia will or may be collected in the following Fishery Management Areas: 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19 and 29-5 (Figure 4).

Samples will or may be collected in protected marine waters in all fishery districts of Southeast Alaska as well as in Glacier Bay National Park.

For most of the trip samples will be collected approximately every 25 nautical miles. Within GBNP samples will be collected in deep water approximately every 10 nautical miles up both main arms of Glacier Bay as well as in Geikie inlet.

Any collected plastic will be removed from the net, air dried, and stored in baked aluminum foil until they can be analyzed in a laboratory. Samples can only be collected when the water is calm as wind generated turbulence will cause surface mixing that results in underestimates of actual plastic concentrations.

Laboratory samples will be analyzed as in the final version of Baker et al., 2010 which will be published imminently. Briefly, samples obtained by the manta trawl will be passed through 5-mm and/or 0.3-mm sieves to isolate solid material of the appropriate size. The sieved material is dried to determine the solids mass in the sample. The solids are subjected to wet peroxide oxidation (WPO) in the presence of an Fe(II) catalyst to digest labile organic matter. The plastic debris remains unaltered. The WPO mixture is subjected to density separation in NaCl(aq) to isolate the plastic debris through flotation. The floating solids are separated from the denser and heavier undigested mineral components using a density separator. The floating plastic debris is collected in the density separator using a custom 0.3-mm filter, air dried and weighed. Plastic material is removed and collected to determine the microplastics concentration.

Schedule
Field work will commence in Puget Sound on or about May 1and will be completed by the end of August 2011. Because wind and weather will affect the day-to-day progress, it is not possible to provide an exact date when field work will be conducted in GBNP or how long it will take. It is anticipated, however, that work in GBNP will be conducted between June 15 and July 15, 2011. Barring sustained windy weather, field work should take 5 days or less.

Laboratory analysis of samples will be performed during the fall of 2011. A draft paper should be submitted for publication approximately January 2012.

V. LITERATURE CITED

• Algalita. 2009. Update on fish ingestion study - Sept. 2009 http://www.algalita.org/research/bispap-ingestion-update-9-09.html

• Arthur C., Baker J., Bamford H. 2009 Proc. Int. Res. Workshop on the Occurrence, Effects and Fate of Microplastic Marine Debris, 9–11 September 2008. NOAA Technical Memorandum NOS-OR&R30

• Baker, Joel E, Foster Gregory D, and Masura J. 2010. Laboratory methods for the analysis of microplastic in the marine environment (Draft). Center for Urban Waters, University of Washington, Tacoma WA, and Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, George Mason University, Fairfax VA.

• Browne Mark A, Dissanayake Awantha, Galloway Tamara S., Lowe David M. and Thompson Richard C. 2008. Ingested microscopic plastic translocates to the circulatory system of the mussel, Mytilus edulis (L.). Environ. Sci. Technol. 42 (13), pp 5026–5031

• Eriksson C., Burton H. 2003. Origins and biological accumulation of small plastic particles in Fur Seals from Macquarie Island. Ambio 32, 380–385 [PubMed]

• Gregory M. R. 1977. Plastic pellets on New Zealand beaches. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 9, 82–84 (doi:10.1016/0025-326X(77)90193-X)

• Gregory M. R. 1978. Accumulation and distribution of virgin plastic granules on New Zealand beaches. N. Z. J. Mar. Freshwater Res. 12, 399–414.

• Laist D. W. 1997. Impacts of marine debris: entanglement of marine life in marine debris including a comprehensive list of species with entanglement and ingestion records. In Marine debris, sources, impacts, and solutions (eds Coe J. M., Rogers D. B., editors. ), pp. 99–139 New York, NY: Springer-Verlag.

• Law Kara L., Morét-Ferguson S., Maximenko Nikolai A., Proskurowski Giora, Peacock Emily E., Hafner Jan, and Reddy Christopher M. 2010. Plastic accumulation in the north atlantic subtropical gyre. Science, 329(5996) pp. 1185-1188.

• Mato Y., Isobe T., Takada H., Kahnehiro H., Ohtake C., Kaminuma O. 2001. Plastic resin pellets as a transport medium for toxic chemicals in the marine environment. Environ. Sci. Technol. 35, 318–324 (doi:10.1021/es0010498) [PubMed]

• Morét-Ferguson S., Law Kara L., Proskurowski Giora, Murphy Ellen k., Peacock Emily E., H. and Reddy Christopher M. 2010. The size, mass, and composition of plastic debris in the western North Atlantic Ocean. Marine Pollution Bulletin. 60(10) pp. 1873-1878.

• Oehlmann J., et al. 2009. A critical analysis of the biological impacts of plasticizers on wildlife. Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B 364, 2047–2062 (doi:10.1098/rstb.2008.0242) [PMC free article] [PubMed]

• Ryan P. G., Moore C. J., van Franeker J. A., Moloney C. L. 2009. Monitoring the abundance of plastic debris in the marine environment. Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B 364, 1999–2012 (doi:10.1098/rstb.2008.0207) [PMC free article] [PubMed]

• Shomura R. S., Yoshida H. O. (eds) 1985. Proc. of the Workshop on the Fate and Impact of Marine Debris, 26–29 November 1984, Honolulu, Hawaii, U.S. Dep. Commer., NOAA. Tech. Memo; NMFS, NOAA-TM-NMFS-SWFC-54.

• Teuten E. L., et al. 2009. Transport and release of chemicals from plastics to the environment and to wildlife. Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B 364, 2027–2045 (doi:10.1098/rstb.2008.0284) [PMC free article] [PubMed]

• Thompson R. C., Olsen Y., Mitchell R. P., Davis A., Rowland S. J., John A. W. G., McGonigle D., Russell A. E. 2004. Lost at sea: where is all the plastic? Science 304, 838 (doi:10.1126/science.1094559) [PubMed]

• University of Washington. 2010. Sources and distribution of marine microplastics. Center for Urban Waters web site. http://www.tacoma.washington.edu/urbanwaters/research/microplastics.cfm

Sampling Overview

It appears that 1 sample a day is what I will normally be taking primarily because of the time involved.  If there are obvious holes in the data, I may be able to fill them in on the way back.


Most of the samples don't appear to contain any plastic.  The most plastic (Styrofoam) was taken in Silva Bay (near Nanaimo).  Silva Bay has two marinas and lots of anchored boats. Marina floats probably are the source of the Styrofoam. Several other samples have had a small number of pieces of Styrofoam.  The sample from Bella Bella contained a small piece of monofilament and possibly other filamentous plastic.

Samples taken with Hobbit are with the boat at idle speed. Except for the first few samples which were 15 minutes, I have been taking 30 minute samples to increase the volume.  The knot log registers 3.8 to 4.0 kts and the GPS typically reads anywhere from about 2.5 to 4.5 kts over the ground. I used the dinghy in Silva Bay and Port McNeill. The speed of the dinghy, as measured by a hand-held GPS, is approximately 2 kts. All samples except the first have been a straight line. Samples are only taken when it is calm and nothing more than ripples are on the surface.

Some photographs of plastic sampling as well as sample 4 are presented below.