Sinking ships
I was reading an article on the Time.com website about how abandoned ships are damaging the environment. That article talked about how a lot of fishing vessels that were sunk (either on purpose or accident) still having fishing gear on board and the fishing gear (nets and traps) continue to “fish” forever. The article also talked about how sunken vessels leach iron and fuels into the water, which contaminates the water and eventually enters the food chain and is consumed by humans. Another problem mentioned is how one vessel attracted an organism that ended up killing a nearby coral reef.
This is an environmental problem that needs to be addressed internationally, but little is being done. Owners of these ships are usually only fined about $100 for abandoning their ship, which is much less money than it would cost to recover the ship and have it dismantled properly. The government is taking steps to clean up the mess at the taxpayer’s expense, but I think that the shipowners need to be held more financially accountable, and not force the taxpayer to clean up THEIR mess. I think that if you can’t afford to pay the piper, then you shouldn’t go to the dance!
Posted: May 23rd, 2009 under Green, Internet, Issues, News, Online.
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