Dhaka: Urging the authorities concerned to take necessary initiatives for creating awareness among the fishing community about marine pollution, experts have observed that continuous plastic pollution and unregulated waste management are damaging marine biodiversity, putting valuable coral reefs and marine life at risk. They mentioned that the ocean, being the largest carbon sink, consumes 90 percent of heat and one-third of CO2.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, rising marine pollution is disrupting this natural process, resulting in increased atmospheric heat. Oceans witness around 12 million metric tons of plastic waste each year. Shafiqur Rahman, chief scientific officer and center chief of the Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute (BFRI), Cox’s Bazar, highlighted the ocean’s crucial role in providing essential living conditions for over a billion people worldwide and its close link to the daily lives of more than three billion people.
The sea provides a variety of fish and plants, holds vast potential for import-export through maritime routes, and is rich in oil, gas, and mineral resources, making it a realm of immense economic potential. A recent study by UNDP Bangladesh indicates that fishing communities contribute to around 40 percent of marine pollution by throwing hard plastics into the ocean.
The study also found that these hard plastics, combined with nets and ropes, account for between 75 percent and 86 percent of floating plastics in the ocean larger than 5 centimeters, often originating from abandoned, lost, or discarded fishing gear. As regular sea-goers, Shafiqur Rahman emphasized that fishing communities can directly reduce marine pollution.
He pointed out that Cox’s Bazar, home to the world’s longest sea beach, is littered with plastic bottles, polythene, torn nets, and other plastic waste. This pollution kills marine turtles, dolphins, and whales every year, with Saint Martin’s coral island facing the most significant threat. The island’s marine life is diminishing due to severe pollution, putting the blue economy in jeopardy.
Despite the challenges, Shafiqur Rahman acknowledged the widespread use of plastic due to its low cost, lightweight, and long durability. Plastics encompass the majority of marine trash, identified as a serious pollutant in both marine and freshwater ecosystems. They are based on polymerization with unique physicochemical characteristics and a stable structure that can persist for hundreds of years in the environment.
Microplastics can enter the coastal-marine ecosystem through various routes, posing a threat to many terrestrial and aquatic animals, potentially leading to death. Bangladesh aims to leverage its 118,883 square kilometers of maritime area and the immense potential of the blue economy for economic gains and a significant position in the global maritime economy.
Md Mansur, a fish trader from the Cox’s Bazar area, stated that they always try to raise awareness among fishermen regarding plastic pollution. He urged the government to take more initiatives to protect the ocean from pollution.
Dr. Shamim Ahmed, a professor of the Department of Respiratory Medicine at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, warned that plastics pose significant health risks, leading to various diseases and even premature death. The harmful effects of plastics begin in the womb and continue throughout life, contributing to cancer, neurodevelopmental disorders, lung diseases, and more.