The National Research Council says 20 years of regulations and international treaties have failed to tackle the problem of garbage in the ocean. The Congressionally-chartered study concludes the problem of marine debris is likely to get worse without substantial effort at the national and international levels. It calls for the United States and the international maritime community to adopt a goal of zero discharge at sea. Lead author Keith Criddle is a Juneau-based professor of marine policy at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. He says nets, traps, and other derelict fishing gear can remain in the water for many years.
John Ryan, KTOO – Juneau
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