Trash talk
Marine and coastal fishing gear debris. Credit Conor Goulding/Mote Marine Laboratory.
We’ve all heard about trash in the oceans, but how bad is it?
Senior Biologist Kim Bassos-Hull shares why marine debris — even tiny bits of plastic — can threaten marine animals and ecosystems, and she offers simple ideas for reducing marine debris in our daily lives.
Through years of marine research and youth education programs, Bassos-Hull has a wealth of experience and stories, from untangling and measuring clumps of fishing line found at bridges and piers to encountering the strange case of a dolphin entangled in a bathing suit. Explore marine debris issues further with Mote's exhibit opening Dec. 9, "Sea Debris: Awareness Through Art" featuring the marine trash sculptures of "Washed Ashore": https://mote.org/exhibits/details/coming-dec-9-2017-sea-debris-awareness-through-art. Bassos Hull carries out her work through Mote Marine Laboratory and the Sarasota Dolphin Research Program, a Chicago Zoological Society Program in collaboration with Mote.