Ways Visitors Can Help Safeguard OBX's Ocean

By Outer Banks Forever on Aug. 03, 2020

Discover why plastic is among the biggest dangers facing beaches, oceans, and marine life, and how you can take simple action to help protect them.

Picture yourself strolling along Cape Hatteras National Seashore when a small, bright blue object half-buried in the sand draws your attention.

Maybe it is sea glass, you think as you look closer.

But after a second glance, the find is less exciting: a plastic bottle cap.

Sadly, this scene is easy to imagine because many beach visitors have experienced something like it.

A single plastic bottle cap may seem minor, but the problem is far larger. The National Park Service reports that more than 90% of the trash found floating in the ocean and scattered along shorelines is plastic. Bottle caps and countless other plastic items combine into a serious environmental issue. According to the North Carolina Coastal Federation, North Carolina’s most frequently found marine debris includes consumer debris, abandoned and derelict fishing gear, abandoned and derelict vessels, and storm debris.

Plastic and other materials that do not biodegrade rank among the most serious risks to oceans and seashores such as Cape Hatteras National Seashore. The National Park Service explains that plastic endangers oceans and waterways because birds, turtles, fish, and other marine animals may swallow plastic pieces after confusing them with fish eggs, plankton, jellyfish, or other food. Each year, hundreds of thousands of sea creatures die because of plastic debris, including from ingesting plastic they cannot digest or becoming fatally trapped in debris.

Common Plastic Pollution Found on Beaches and in Oceans

In general, beach and ocean plastic pollution falls into two main categories:

• Consumer plastics, such as larger disposable plastic items including cups and straws
• Microplastics, tiny plastic particles that do not decay, and microbeads, which can come from bath products

According to our friend, Nicole Loiseau, Acting District Interpreter for Cape Hatteras National Seashore and the Volunteer and Youth Program Manager for your OBX national parks, these forms of pollution are commonly found on local beaches:

• Micro-trash/smalls bits of plastic
• Plastic water bottles
• Plastic utensils
• Cigarette butts
• Water bottle caps
• Wooden debris from houses

Sea turtles are particularly vulnerable to plastic and other consumer debris. Discarded monofilament line, commonly called fishing line, can wrap around sea turtles and prevent them from swimming or feeding. Cape Lookout Studies’ North Carolina Monofilament Recovery and Recycling Program notes that monofilament line is a strong plastic that is nearly indestructible, with an estimated 600 years needed for it to decay. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service also notes that sea turtles can mistake plastic items such as grocery bags, Styrofoam pieces, and balloons for food, which may cause intestinal blockage and death.

How to Reduce Plastic Pollution During Your OBX Beach Visit

When you spend time on OBX beaches, you can help by taking these steps:

• Pack it in, pack it out: Bring every piece of your trash with you when you leave the beach.
• Bag it: Take an extra bag with you so you can pick up trash and plastic when you find it.
• Sign up to volunteer: Outer Banks Forever will share Beach Cleanup Days and other ways to support your parks.
• Plan a family or group beach cleanup: Contact Nicole for more information. Within current COVID-19 guidelines.
• Avoid single-use plastics whenever possible: If you use them, consider how they can be reused or recycled.
• Discard fishing line in appropriate recycling receptacles: Your parks partnered with the North Carolina Monofilament Recovery and Recycling Program in 2014 to place three receptacles along the seashore at Ramp 44 in Buxton, Ramp 55 in Hatteras, and the Frisco Bath House.

Fishing line can also be recycled at these local businesses and locations:

• TW’s Bait and Tackle: Corolla, Kitty Hawk, Nags Head
• Outer Banks Fishing Pier: Nags Head
• Oregon Inlet Fishing Center: Nags Head
• Tradewinds Tackle Shop: Ocracoke
• National Park Service Boat Ramp: Ocracoke

You can also follow ocean pollution as it is reported in real time. NOAA, working with the University of Georgia’s College of Engineering, created an online marine debris tracker app that records and reports debris types and locations worldwide.

Author

Outer Banks Forever is the official nonprofit partner of the three national parks of the Outer Banks: Cape Hatteras National Seashore, Fort Raleigh National Historic Site, and Wright Brothers National Memorial. The organization helps protect and enhance these special places.

Through your support, Outer Banks Forever helps make sure future generations can continue learning, growing, and making memories in the Outer Banks through history, conservation, and the celebration of innovation. To learn more about Outer Banks Forever, see their Frequently Asked Questions or follow them on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube for more guidance on recreating responsibly in our Outer Banks national parks.

About the National Park Service

More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America's 423 national parks and collaborate with communities nationwide to preserve local history and provide nearby recreational opportunities. Learn more at www.nps.gov.