Texas Monofilament Recovery and Recycling

07/15/2021

NCEI has released the first-of-its-kind global marine microplastics database. This database collates microplastic data from across the globe, giving scientists and researchers a better understanding of microplastic’s impacts on human and marine health and the economy. https://bit.ly/MicroplasticsDB

07/15/2021

Plastic pollution affects all marine species, including sharks.

Sharks are primarily subject to ingestion of microplastics or other forms of plastic pollution through the process of bioaccumulation, which is the gradual build-up of substances in animals through ingestion or other routes of exposure. Essentially, if a fish towards the bottom of the food chain consumes microscopic plastic pieces, a shark consuming that fish could absorb those contaminants through ingestion. Other ways plastic pollution can harm sharks include inhalation of debris through the gills or entanglement around extremities.

Thankfully, there are ways you can help! Limiting your use of disposable plastic products can help prevent further plastic pollution in our oceans. Another easy plastic-free switch can be refusing to use balloons and other single-use party decorations that can often end up as plastic pollution in our oceans.

Read more about sharks and plastics at tx.ag/PlasticPredator

07/08/2021

In 2015, when a Texas Sea Grant-funded graduate student, Christine Figgener, posted a graphic video of researchers removing a plastic straw stuck in a sea turtle’s nose, she didn’t imagine that the video would go viral with over 40 million views. Yet, the video reached viewers across the world and highlighted the dangers plastics pose to ocean wildlife.This video also helped her earn the title of TIME Magazine Next-Generation Leader.

Figgener, then a marine biology doctoral student at Texas A&M, was leading a research team off the coast of Costa Rica to collect data about sea turtle mating. During the trip, she and her colleagues brought the 77-pound male olive ridley sea turtle aboard to take a small skin sample and measure and weigh the animal. What they first thought was a parasitic worm in the sea turtle’s nostril, turned out to be a plastic straw. Unable to reach a veterinarian, the team made the tough decision to remove the straw.

Learn more: tx.ag/Figgener

07/06/2021

Girl Scout Troop 86 in the Rio Grande Valley are planning to set-up 17 collection bins for used fishing line for their Silver Award Project. I proud of these young ladies and the businesses that support them to as they work towards their goal.

Below are pictures of the first two bins!

06/28/2021

What exactly is the Great Pacific Garbage Patch? What do ocean gyres have to do with it? What kinds of marine debris are garbage patches made up of? Find out the answers to these questions and more: https://marinedebris.noaa.gov/info/patch.html

02/12/2021

11/03/2020

👏🎉 Congratulations to our program lead, John O'Connell, on being named Texas Master Naturalist Program Chapter Advisor of the Year!! John advises the Texas Master Naturalists Cradle of Texas Chapter.

Brazoria County Coastal & Marine Resources-Texas A&M AgriLife Extension

Congratulations John! 🎉

Our Brazoria County Coastal & Marine Resources-Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Agent received the Texas Master Naturalist Program Advisor Award at their 2020 Annual Meeting! John advises the Texas Master Naturalists Cradle of Texas Chapter in Brazoria County.

This award 🏆recognizes chapter advisors that conducts:
🤩 Overall exceptional work
🙌 Exemplary contributions to the organization’s mission and goals
🎖 Supporting new initiatives and accomplishments
👏 Participation in the chapter
💪 Empowerment of members
🧠 Resource management knowledge and activities

Learn more at https://txmn.tamu.edu/2020-annual-meeting-awards-wrap-up/

09/28/2020

Like monofilament, animals can become entangled in or ingest discarded balloons. If you see these at the beach, please throw them away in a trash bin.

09/10/2020

Stay tuned for some marine debri and plastic pollution from our very own program leader and Brazoria County Coastal & Marine Resources-Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Extension Agent, John O'Connell.

Texas Sea Grant presents Seaside Chats, a bi-weekly virtual conversation with experts and guests that explores the wondrous and impactful and marine environment. There is more to the than meets the eye, and you can learn more about it at our .

Restoring coastal habitats, planning for the next hurricane, and the cleaning up marine debris are just a few topics that we will tackle in our Seaside Chats. Join us as we take a deep dive into the successes, challenges, opportunities, and curiosities of the third coast.

Register for our first Seaside Chat at tx.ag/SeasideChats

09/01/2020

Since 2004, when was started I have been contacted by people from across nation and the State of Texas. Some sent me photos of used fishing line or other gear entangling wildlife.

A few days ago, I was going through some photographs and came across the image below. There is a story behind the image. I was contacted by the U.S. Coast Guard Station in Brownsville, Texas. During a routine patrol of the waters off the coastline of Texas they came across a gillnet, that was being fished illegally in United States' waters. The crew hauled in the net and returned to the dock.

Because gillnets are made from monofilament line I was contacted to see if I could have it recycled. According to the caller they estimated the net was miles in length, ten miles as I recall! Unfortunately efforts failed to recycle the gillnet and it was decided to send it to the landfill.

The good news is the net was removed from the water. Close inspection of the net revels the tails of sharks and other fish. More good news, there are now groups that work with commercial fishing industry around the world to recycle old gear.