Research Technical Report

Marine Debris on Davidson Seamount: 4,000 to 11,500 Feet Deep

DeVogelaere, M., E. Burton, C. King (April 2014)

Poster presentation at Sanctuary Currents Symposium, Seaside, CA

ABSTRACT

Davidson Seamount, part of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, is considered a relatively pristine habitat. We documented marine debris over 176 kilometers using video transects and still images from NOAA/MBARI cruises in 2002 and 2006. Forty-four pieces of marine debris were documented with 41% being metal and 25% being plastic. These included bowls, buckets, cans, a broom, plastic bags, and train wheels. This debris mostly rains down from boat discards, as opposed to other deep-sea habitats where debris can originate from the shoreline and is pushed by currents along the continental shelf and into canyons.