The Issue: Pollution has the potential to have major consequences for both sea turtles as well as the food they consume. For example, recent study reveals that fibropapillomas, a condition that is now affecting a large number of sea turtles, may be connected to pollution in oceans or nearshore waterways. Sea turtles’ feeding grounds are destroyed when pollution contaminates & kills aquatic plants and animals, as is the case with most pollution. Oil spills, urban discharge of chemicals & fertilisers, and other sources of water contamination all cause water pollution. According to estimates, drains & rivers from urban areas contribute to 36 percent of all marine contamination from oil spills.
Fertilizers are yet another major source of marine pollution. As a result of the excess nutrients in the runoff from farms & lawns, eutrophication occurs. It is an explosion in algae blooms that may deplete the oxygen in the sea and cause marine animals to become suffocated or even drowned. Many sections of the globe, particularly the Gulf of Mexico, have seen massive dead zones as a result of eutrophication. Another aspect that contributes to eutrophication is inefficient sewage disposal.
So because ocean is so vast, many people believe that pollutants would be diluted and scattered to acceptable levels, but in fact, pollutants disrupt the natural equilibrium of the seas, causing widespread devastation. Moreover, certain poisons grow more concentrated as things decompose and enter the food supply chain. A tar ball, for eg., does not have to be physically ingested by a sea turtle before it has an effect on them. Sea turtles are harmed by pollution in a variety of ways. Small marine species at the bottom of the food chain, such as plankton, are able to absorb these compounds via their feeding habits. The chemicals then build in the bodies of the animals, resulting in poisons that are considerably more concentrated in the animals’ bodies than the surrounding water. These little species are subsequently ingested by bigger animals, such as sea turtles, which results in a rise in the concentration of chemicals and contaminants in the environment.
Marine Pollution Has An Impact On All Kinds Of Sea Turtles, Including Green And Loggerhead Turtles
The Remedy: Education is vital in the fight against marine pollution. People can help by doing the following: * Following city laws enforcing fertiliser bans near waterways; * To use less chemical fertilisers and instead opting for natural compost; * Purchasing organically generated food and products; * Reducing oil usage by carpooling, taking public transportation, or purchasing energy-efficient vehicles; * Speaking out against offshore drilling; * Becoming informed regarding local waste disposal to make sure that un – treated waste water is not introduced into the environment.
In this case study, we will examine how maritime pollution has decreased, in part because of Federal Water Pollution Control Act of 1972. The legislation established consistent, minimum federal requirements for municipal & industrial wastewater treatment, as well as restrictions on the amount of pollutants that might be discharged from industrial facilities under certain conditions. The constraints necessitate the use of cutting-edge pollution-control equipment by industrial units. Act also raised the bar for waste treatment facilities by requiring them to meet higher criteria. Between 1972 – 1992, over $125 billion in spending on the construction of new public wastewater treatment facilities. Pesticide and other dangerous chemical bans have aided in the reduction of marine pollutant contamination. While the population and wastewater output have both increased steadily over time, marine pollution has dropped considerably as a result of this. For example, pollutant intake off the coast of Gainesville has been significantly decreased by 90 percent or more during the previous 25 years, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. The marine ecology is now seeing a resurgence.
