Ocean Pollution Facts

One of the major environmental issues today, ocean pollution is taking a toll on the marine life at an alarming rate. In oceanography, ocean pollution is basically described as pollution of ocean water due to accidental or deliberate dumping of harmful materials, such as crude oil, ore or toxic materials in it. Pollution of ocean water leads to destruction of habitat for several marine animals and plants, threatening to wipe them off the planet in near future. One look at the ocean pollution facts given below will make you realize the seriousness of the issue.

Ocean Pollution Facts

Statistics reveal that approximately 80 percent of ocean pollution causes are land based, or human induced, to be precise. We have made the oceans a dumping ground for our waste. Here is a compilation of some of the staggering ocean pollution facts for kids and adults alike.

Ocean Pollution: Oil Spills and Ore Deposition
Large vessels carrying crude oil are responsible for ocean pollution to a great extent. Oil spills are major contributors in this context, followed closely by accidental ore deposition by vessels transporting ore. Oil spills are categorized into major spills (over 700 tons ), medium-sized spills (7 - 700 tons) and small spills (less than 7 tons). In 2008, the oceans witnessed 1 major oil spill and 7 medium-sized oil spills. On an average, since 2001, the oil spill count has come down to 3.4 oil spill incidents per year, but even one major oil spill is hazardous for the marine life.

Ocean Water Pollution by Cruise Liners
Only about 20 percent of ocean pollution is caused by ocean based activities. Even from this 20 percent, the major contribution comes from cruise ships. Statistics reveal that an average sized cruise ship produces around a million gallons of waste water in a week. (The incidents of oil spills are lesser compared to incidents of garbage dumping by cruises, and hence cruises are regarded as the most polluting factors, but one major oil spill can lead to tons of oil being dumped in the water body amassing to much more pollution than what a single cruise ship can possibly do.)

Pacific Ocean Pollution Facts
Plastic trash, floating wreckages of ships and other such floating pollutants in the ocean may lead to clogging of the water bodies sometime in the future. One such mass of pollutants has been created in the North Pacific due to transportation and deposition of these pollutants by the North Pacific Gyre, a gigantic swirling vortex in the Pacific Ocean. Scientists estimate that the trash carpet created here has reached the size of Texas, and is still growing. It's not that only Pacific ocean is affected, all the oceans of the world are equally affected by the menace of ocean water pollution.

Ocean Pollution Effects

All this pollution of the oceans from the various sources is taking a toll on these huge water bodies. Pollution in the ocean not only affects ocean or marine life, but also affects the rest of the planet indirectly. The following are the major effects of ocean pollution on marine life, animals, and humans as well.

Ocean Pollution Effects on Fish
The first casualties of ocean pollution are the marine species, most prominent ones being fish and marine plants. Although it's difficult to study the depletion of fish from the ocean floor, the study of global trends of sea birds and sea animals, depending on ocean fish for food, shows that there is a drastic decline in fish population. Other than overfishing, the major cause of this decline is regarded to be ocean water pollution.

Ocean Pollution Effects on Animals and Birds
Various ocean pollution facts reveal that there has been a drastic decline in marine wildlife owing to the pollution of ocean waters. More than a lac marine mammals, including sea otters and sea lions, have died in the very ocean, which were a major source of food for them at one point of time. More than a million sea birds, like pelicans and gulls, have also met a watery grave owing to the domino effect triggered due to the depletion of fish population in the oceans.

Ocean Pollution Effects on Humans
Unlike the marine animals which are directly bearing the brunt of ocean pollution, humans will be facing the hazards of ocean pollution indirectly. Marine life is an important source of food for humans, and hence depletion of marine life will lead to shortage of food for humans. More importantly, the pollution is bound to have adverse effects on fish, which may eventually lead to adverse effects on humans who consume this fish. These adverse effects may range from food poisoning to children being born with deformities. It will also alter the natural cycle of the planet which will again have a disastrous impact on humans.

These were some of the prominent ocean pollution facts which depict the grievous picture of the hazard faced by marine life and humans. This may be just termed as the tip of the ice berg, as many more ill effects would be surfacing with time. We have been running on the track of development so fast, that we have failed to notice all the damage that we have been creating. And it's a basic human nature, we don't realize the seriousness of the issue until and unless it knocks down our own door.