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CZM Director's Corner
Welcome to the CZM Director's Corner web page, which will feature a regular Q&A session with CZM's Director Leslie-Ann McGee. We encourage you to check back often to see the latest topic of discussion. September-October 2008 Each September, CZM sponsors COASTSWEEP, the annual statewide beach cleanup, now in its 21st year. Volunteers throughout Massachusetts turn out in large numbers for this event, which is part of an international campaign organized by The Ocean Conservancy in Washington, DC. Participants all over the world collect marine debris and record the types of trash they collect. This information is then used to help reduce future marine debris problems. Cleanups are scheduled through October. To get involved, go to the COASTSWEEP website. The following are details that were featured in a September 19 conversation Leslie-Ann had with WBZ's Mish Michaels (read full story). A video of this discussion is also available on the WBZ website. How big is the Massachusetts coastline? There are 1,500 miles of coastline. Of that, 727 miles are sandy shoreline according to the Surfrider Foundation, and 659 public beaches make up more than 200 miles or 28% of this sandy coastline. Where does all this trash come from? While there are many sources, the data have shown that the majority is due to littering, either on the beach or on the streets. When it rains this trash is washed into storm drains that empty into rivers, bays, and the ocean. How big a problem is beach trash in the Commonwealth? Regardless of origin, debris entering the aquatic environment can have significant impacts on ecology, human health and safety, and the economy. The impact of marine debris varies in scope and intensity depending on the type of debris (e.g., plastic bags, miscellaneous plastics, derelict fishing gear, or shipping containers) and its location (e.g., floating in shipping lanes or sitting on sensitive habitats). Ecological impacts include impacts to coral reefs, wetlands, fish habitats, beaches, and migratory species breeding grounds and pathways. Marine debris can impact wildlife directly, through entanglement or ingestion, or indirectly, through changes to habitat. Human impacts include certain types of marine debris such as fishing nets and lines wrapping around boat propellers, or plastic bags blocking engine intake valves, disabling the vessel, and ultimately endangering human lives. Vessels may directly strike floating or submerged marine debris, possibly sinking the boat. Direct contact with sharp debris objects, such as broken glass, rusted metal, or medical debris, on beaches or the ocean floor can have an impact. In the late 1980s, beaches in New York and New Jersey were closed to protect the public from medical waste, including syringes and bandages from hospitals that washed ashore. Marine debris can also have substantial economic impacts. Although lack of comprehensive economic assessments limits the ability to fully estimate the overall economic impact, evidence of economic losses for specific cases is available. Direct economic losses can be measured from analysis of impacts on tourism, losses in catch revenues, loss of fishing gear, damaged vessels, and human injuries. How important are beaches to Massachusetts? In 2007, 20 million people visited the Commonwealth and 15% went to beaches. That's three million people. Also, according to a 2000 study commissioned for the State Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan, "coastal beaches and shoreline" continue to be the most popular recreational resources in Massachusetts, visited at a median rate of 12 times per year by an estimated 61 percent of state residents, with even higher participation levels (70-83%) in the easterly regions of the state. So if these beaches were closed due to marine debris, the economic impact could be significant. For example, the loss in tourism was estimated to be between $706 million and $2,977 million (in 2008 U.S. dollars) as a result of medical debris wash-ups in New Jersey in 1988. What types of trash do we find on Massachusetts beaches? 2007 cleanup statistics
Top Ten Debris Items
For more info on marine debris and links to other resources see the Coastsweep website.
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Boston, MA 02114