Biography Miguel Caetano
Miguel Caetano is a PhD in Marine Science. He is a member of the CIIMAR team included in the Global Changes and Ecosystems Services and head of the Division of Environmental Oceanography and Bioprospection of IPMA. He devoted his research to biogeochemical processes in the water column, interactions of pollutants between sediments and aquatic organisms and diagenetic processes in sediments. He has been involved in several national and international scientific projects (64) within the marine sciences and published up to 100 peer review articles.
Biography Ana Martins
She is a biologist of the Environmental and Evolution Field.
She is also a Biology Teacher at EPADRV | Escola Profissional de Agricultura e Desenvolvimento Rural de Vagos.
Biography Ricardo Calado
Researcher at DBio and at the Center for Environmental and Marine Studies, he obtained his doctorate in 2005 at the University of Lisbon in Biology (Animal Biotechnology). Responsible for the MarBAE (Marine Biotechnology, Aquaculture and Ecology) team of the UA, Ricardo Calado is deputy director of DBio and member of the coordination team of the Sea Technology Platform at the Aveiro Academy. Life Support Systems and Maintenance of Marine Organisms is the discipline that this year he teaches to the various masters at the Aveiro Academy related to the areas of his passion: applied marine ecology, sustainable aquaculture and blue biotechnolog
The opinion of Miguel Caetano
1) WHAT IS YOUR OPINION
ABOUT THERE BEING SO MUCH GARBAGE IN THE SEA?
This is an issue that has a very important civic component. Marine waste reflects human activity developed on land (continents and islands) which, by being released into rivers and the sea, frees man from environmental responsibility. It also reflects that the different peoples of the cities of the world treat garbage (which will go to the sea) differently. This is a very serious problem that even with intense actions these days will not make the problem go away. From the scientific point of view, the introduction of marine waste into the sea has several origins that can be improved from a technological point of view. For example, sewage treatment plants remove most large pieces of plastic but still have little effect on the retention of smaller plastics, called microplastics. By altering, modifying, improving sewage treatment plants, we can decrease the amount of these small plastics that go into rivers and the sea.
2) IN YOUR OPINION, HOW IS THIS PANDEMIC INCREASING POLLUTION IN OCEANS?
There are some very recent investigations that show that the massive use of disposable masks, gloves and other personal protective equipment is increasing. By not putting these products in the trash they stay on the city floor. Wind and rain are taking these products to the rivers that then end up in the ocean. This is a negative aspect. However, there are some positive aspects that the pandemic is causing in terms of pollution. The pandemic has led to less pollution of different types: less tourism means fewer boats, more empty beaches, etc; fewer purchases mean less processed plastic, less packaging that causes pollution; fewer cars running on the street means less air pollution which also has an influence on the ocean; industries producing less means unemployment but also less pollution of the air and consequently of the ocean.
The opinion of Ana Martins
3) WHAT CAN WE DO TO REDUCE THIS TYPE OF POLLUTION?
Reuse many materials as possible, recycle, separate waste, use more ecopoints and avoid using/buying products that contain plastic.
4) WHAT IS YOUR OPINION ABOUT SEA POLLUTION?
It is something very serious that is pu
tting biodiversity at risk by causing many species to become extinct. Finally this problem starts to get people´s attention. It s important that people start to recycle, treat their waste and do not discard it into the ocean.
The opinion of Ricardo Calado
5) WHAT HAPPENS TO MARINE ANIMALS WHEN THEY INGEST PLASTIC?
One of the most common problems is that plastic “clogs” the digestive system and they are no longer able to feed themselves, starving to death. Other times, as they have a stomach full of plastic they get the feeling that they are full and do not need to eat, but in reality they are starving because the that they have in their stomach is plastic and not food ... In addition, some types plastic can contain toxins, metals and other pollutants that poison the organisms that consume them.
6) THERE ARE DATA THAT INDICATE THAT, FROM YEAR TO YEAR, THERE ARE MORE DEATHS OF MARINE ANIMALS?
Unfortunately yes ... at least for some species (birds, mammals marine ...). Unfortunately when we look at these dead animals, almost always have plastic inside. We also have to realize that only we find a very small part of the animals that die (for example, those who end up coming to the beach, because many sink and we have no way to know that they died).
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writing team, Clube de Fotografia | AGEILHAVO | Portugal
Mariana Erny 10 years old, Constança Loureiro 10 years old and Sofia Angeja 11 years old
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