What pollution is impacting the ocean? - Lesson Four

• Social Studies
• History
• +3
• 5th,6th Grade

Introduction

Lesson 4 – What are the long term impacts of pollution? This lesson looks at the long term impacts of pollution left in the ocean. Learning activities:  Research impacts of ghostnets.  Create posters to explain impacts of ghostnets.

Instructions

Time: 45 minutes

Contact: [e-mail]
© Sea Shepherd 2022

Lesson 4 - What are the long term impacts of pollution?

This lesson is provided by Sea Shepherd.  Sea Shepherd was founded in 1977 and is a marine conservation organisation working to protect the oceans and marine wildlife.  Sea Shepherd works globally on a range of issues impacting the oceans, running numerous direct action campaigns each year.  Ocean pollution is one issue Sea Shepherd is working on to help stop marine wildlife dying.

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During the lesson we will use these icons to identify the learning actions.

What are the long term
implications of pollution?

Ask students “What do you think are some of the long term implications of the different types of pollution?”

Introduction to IUU fishing and the impact of overfishing.

Contamination from oil spills.

Looking at the impacts of major oil or chemical disasters we know that researchers have found ongoing impacts, including increased rates of death and birth defects in marine mammals.
Which is likely as a result of ingesting or exposure to the chemicals and oil.  If you think about it, if you did the same it would take time for toxins to leave your body.  You would need medical treatment to help get rid of them, but marine wildlife aren’t likely to get that help.

Introduction to IUU fishing and the impact of overfishing.

Contamination from plastic and chemicals.

Looking at plastics and the associated chemicals, if fish are eating plastics, they will become contaminated with plastic and possibly the chemicals.  This is especially an issue for apex species.
Ask students “Why do you think it will have more impact on apex species like whales, sharks, dolphins, and predatory species like tuna?”

Introduction to IUU fishing and the impact of overfishing.

Increasing rates of death due to ingestion.

Once plastics have entered the food chain, each step in the chain the level of plastics and chemicals will increase.  It starts with phytoplankton and krill eating microplastics, then goes up the chain with small fish eating them, including the plastic.  The higher up the food chain the greater the amount of plastic they will have been exposed to.

That means that if fish are eating plastic, when we eat fish we are also eating plastic and chemicals. 

Introduction to IUU fishing and the impact of overfishing.

Increasing rates of death due to entanglement.

Thinking about abandoned fishing gear, as the nets break up, they too can be ingested by larger species like whales. Which would lead to blockages in their stomach and prevent them from being able to eat properly.
Another concern is that this gear can end up entangled on reef systems damaging habitat, It can also wash up onshore creating a dangerous hazard for sea turtles, both for the nesting mothers as well as the hatchlings.

This video (11.57 min) shows the work to clear the loggerhead sea turtle nesting beaches in Cabo Verde of plastic pollution, from fishing nets to trash:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5i2frhQKn-g&t=26s

Show this video (9 min), which shows the extent of plastic pollution washing up on this remote Australian atoll and Sea Shepherd’s efforts to clear it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KfBK7HwgvFM&t=243s

www.seashepherdglobal.org

LEARNING ACTIVITIES

Refer Teachers Guide for Learning Activities.