Ocean Plastic & Sea Turtles

Sea turtles are affected by plastic during every stage of their life. They crawl through plastic on the way to the ocean as hatchlings, swim through it while migrating, confuse it for jellyfish (one of their favorite foods), and then crawl back through it as adults. Hundreds of thousands of sea turtles, whales, and other marine mammals, and more than 1 million seabirds die each year from ocean pollution and ingestion or entanglement in marine debris.

five ways plastic affects sea turtles

Sea turtles can confuse plastic bags for jellyfish. A turtle in the water can’t tell the difference and will often eat the bag, which gets stuck in their stomach.

Trash on nesting beaches. Adult sea turtles in many places need to crawl through collected debris to find a place to nest and hatchlings can get caught in the debris trying to make their way to the ocean. Tiny bits of plastic in the sand can also affect nests and hatchlings.

They can get stuck in it while swimming. Many turtles make long migrations and pass through areas with a lot of ocean plastic. They can get caught in things like six pack rings or discarded fishing gear.

Mylar balloons filled with helium can also look like jellyfish. These balloons can travel hundreds of miles in the air and land in rivers or the ocean.

They can consume microplastic from their food. Tiny bits of plastic consumed by fish or other animals can then be eaten by those who eat them, like turtles (and humans.)

Most trash reaches the seas via rivers, and 80% originates from landfills and other urban sources. This waste, which is also consumed by fish and can entangle sharks and damage coral reefs, tends to accumulate in gyres (areas of slow spiraling water and low winds) and along coastlines.

There are 5 major ocean gyres worldwide. In the Pacific Ocean, the North Pacific Gyre is home to the “Great Pacific Garbage Patch”, a large area that is approximately the size of Texas with debris extending 20 feet (6 meters) down into the water column. It’s estimated that this “plastic island” contains 3.5 million tons of trash and could double in size in the next 5 years.

Researchers have also estimated that for every 2.2 pounds (1 kilogram) of plankton in this area, there is 13.2 pounds (6 kilograms) of plastic. Common marine debris items includes things like cigarette butts, cans, plastic bags and bottles, styrofoam, balloons, lighters, and toothbrushes. Discarded or lost fishing gear such as lines, nets and buoys are especially dangerous to sea life.

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