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The boating and sailing industry has been growing over recent years with many of us participating as a way to connect with oceans and nature. This growth has aloud us to go scuba diving and snorkelling in areas that otherwise wouldn't be accessible as well as take part in a seemingly fun team sport with boat races even being included in the Olympics. However, with out oceans and the creature that call them home being in great danger, this got me thinking if this recreational activity could have a grave environmental impact.
In recent years there has been evidence to suggest that boats have caused a decline in dissolved oxygen, stunting the growth of sea plants that in turn affect the entire food chain. The propellers and rudders bring up sediment from the sea bed which reduces the turbidity (i.e. it stops sunlight from reaching the seabed). This reduces the amount of photosynthesis that can occur and reduces the amount of oxygen available meaning that habitat cannot sustain larger fish populations, especially in shallow waters. With nutrients also being brought to the surface, large amounts of boats have also been linked to algal blooms which also reduce the turbidity but, in some cases, produce products that are toxic to both marine and terrestrial organisms. Safe to say that the reduced turbidity caused by high speed boats has a major impact on marine life and is something that can be easily avoided if we anchor these boats further out, away from shallow waters with less chance of the motors touching the sediment.
Another major impact is the potential for fuels to spill and leak into the surrounding environment. We have all seen those photos of sea birds drenched in oil and boats have the potential do do this on a much smaller scale, particularly if the boat is driven and managed poorly. When the boat is stationary, there is significant potential for small amount of partially burnt fuel to leak into the surrounding area. Smaller fuel particles are more likely to be ingested by marine life therefore there is great risk for bio accumulation up the food chain. Needless to say these chemicals are toxic to marine life. These chemical can also affect both the biotic and abiotic conditions of the habitat, making them less habitable for the species that live there. One potential change is pH and if it were to increase in acidity (or decline in pH) could mean damage to crustaceans with the acidic water dissolving shells and other carbonaceous structures including corals.
Although sailing can increase tourism and GDP, there is also the physical damage done to habitats. Sailing and other marine activities produce large amount of litter that end up in the ocean which included nets, ropes and plastic bags. With 43% of all boat activity being recreational sailing in Australia alone, it it fair to say that the majority of the waste from boats come from the sailing industry. Marine debris poses a huge threat to wildlife with organisms becoming trapped in discarded nets as well as smothering coral and other sea plants. Not to mention the fact that some organisms mistake plastic for food with sea turtles in particular mistaking plastic bags for jelly fish. The boats themselves have also done physical damage to marine environments with boat anchors being the biggest offender. Anchors can damage the sea bed but uprooting plants, disturbing bottom feeders and destroying coral.
The main solution to this would be to designate protection areas with no or limited access to areas with high biodiversity. However evidence suggests that this requires greater regulation with 43% of sailing boats in Australia ignoring the Marine Protection Areas. I'm not saying we should stop ailing as it is a way for us to grown closer to our marine environment and fall in love with the beautiful marine wildlife. I am however suggesting we act responsibly by staying within designated zones, ensure the boat is maintained to a high standard and stop treating the ocean as our personal landfill.
Resources -
- Environmental Protection, The Environmental Impacts of Boating, May 2017, https://eponline.com/articles/2017/03/27/the-environmental-impacts-of-boating.aspx
- Brynes. T, Science Direct, 2016, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0959652615002413#kwrds001
