Sample Summary

Sample Locations in Glacier Bay and Northern SE Alaska

Sample Locations in SE Alaska

Sample Locations in Northern BC

Sample Locations South of Cape Caution, BC

Field work is now complete.  I collected 62 samples by towing with very little indication of plastic other than Styrofoam.  Two more samples were collected by simply dipping a 5 gallon bucket into a mass of Fucus and other debris - these both had lots of plastic.   Styrofoam is mainly observed near cities.  Locations are depicted above and subjective results are summarized below.  In addition, I inspected many beaches and regularly observed macroplastic, such as pop bottles, in remote areas where tidal currents have created zones where Fucus and other debris become concentrated.  Sampling these zones with a net is not possible because it would completely fill up in in seconds.  Nevertheless, some of my samples are very heavy with Fucus and other seaweeds so, if there is an association with microplastics not readily visible at 2X, they may yet be observed.

Midway through the field work I received a few PowerPoint slides from Erik Zettler at SEA in support of the seminar I gave at Glacier Bay National Park .  One of the slides included an unpublished general summary of samples collected offshore from Vancouver Island up through SE Alaska.  About 2/3 of SEA's samples contained no plastic.  As a result, I am now feeling confident that my samples accurately reflect the situation along the Inside Passage and that small pieces of hard plastic are very rare.

Sample Number: 1
Date: 5-May
Location: Rocky Pt., Camano Is
Subjective Plastics: None
Comments: Lots of diatoms, filamentous green algae, and crab exoskeletons ~1 cm. Collected in very large circle

Sample Number: 2
Date: 6-May
Location: Lopez Sound (South)
Subjective Plastics: None
Comments: Very little material in the sample

Sample Number: 3
Date: 7-May
Location: N. Pender Island
Subjective Plastics: None
Comments: Primarily very small amphipods & megalops

Sample Number: 4
Date: 8-May
Location: Silva Bay
Subjective Plastics: Lots of small Styrofoam pieces
Comments: Used Dinghy (~2 kts.) Lots of Sargassum

Sample Number: 5
Date: 9-May
Location: Strait of Georgia near Silva Bay
Subjective Plastics: Small amount of Styrofoam
Comments: Mostly green algae

Sample Number: 6
Date: 13-May
Location: Bolenas Is
Subjective Plastics: None
Comments: Ctenophores, several small fish, teaspoon full of fish eggs, amphipods. Very small volume sample.

Sample Number: 7
Date: 13-May
Location: NW end Texada Island
Subjective Plastics: Small amount of Styrofoam
Comments: 30 minute tow because plastic is so rare. Lots of amphipods. Small volume sample.

Sample Number: 8
Date: 13-May
Location: Outside Squirrel Cove
Subjective Plastics: None
Comments: Mostly green algae and ctenophores

Sample Number: 9
Date: 14-May
Location: West of Dent Rapids
Subjective Plastics: Maybe 1 piece of Styrofoam
Comments: Lots of amphipods, fish eggs, megalops, and some interesting polychaetes. Small volume sample.

Sample Number: 10
Date: 15-May
Location: Johnstone Strait E. of Robson Bight
Subjective Plastics: None
Comments: Entire sample is only a teaspoon full. Mostly a variety of very small arthropods

Sample Number: 11
Date: 17-May
Location: Port McNeill
Subjective Plastics: None
Comments: Two trips; across Port McNeill in the dinghy. The largest sample to date - about two quarts. Almost all tree bark and Ulva.

Sample Number: 12
Date: 19-May
Location: Queen Charlotte Strait off Port Hardy
Subjective Plastics: None
Comments: Small sample

Sample Number: 13
Date: 21-May
Location: Fitzhugh Sound
Subjective Plastics: None
Comments: About 1/4 cup of a spiny larvae <1.0 mm. Taxa unknown

Sample Number: 14
Date: 22-May
Location: Bella Bella
Subjective Plastics: Small amount of monofilament & possibly other filamentous plastic. Some Styrofoam
Comments: Approximately 2 quarts of Fucus

Sample Number: 15
Date: 23-May
Location: Mathieson Channel
Subjective Plastics: None
Comments: Small sample, mostly Ulva and misc. debris

Sample Number: 16
Date: 24-May
Location: Butedale
Subjective Plastics: Small amount of Styrofoam
Comments: Approximately 1 gallon of material. Mostly Fucus and woody debris. Low flowmeter count indicates either fouling or high back pressure due to amount of debris.

Sample Number: 17
Date: 25-May
Location: Ursula Channel
Subjective Plastics: None
Comments: Very small sample. Mostly small algae and vegetation

Sample Number: 18
Date: 25-May
Location: South entrance of Grenville Channel
Subjective Plastics: At least one small piece of Styrofoam
Comments: Very large sample full of conifer needles and other plant material

Sample Number: 19
Date: 27-May
Location: Chatham Sound
Subjective Plastics: None
Comments: About a cup of bark and conifer needles

Sample Number: 20
Date: 28-May
Location: Prince Rupert Harbor
Subjective Plastics: At least one small piece of Styrofoam
Comments: About a cup of woody debris

Sample Number: 21
Date: 29-May
Location: Revillagigedo Channel
Subjective Plastics: None
Comments: Small sample. Mostly medusae including one Cyanea

Sample Number: 22
Date: 31-May
Location: Tongass Narrows, Ketchikan
Subjective Plastics: Lots of plastic. Mostly Styrofoam but some hard plastic also.
Comments: About two quarts of Fucus in addition to smaller debris.

Sample Number 22B
Date: 31-May
Location: Bar Harbor Marina, Ketchikan
Subjective Plastics:  Lots of plastic - both Styrofoam and hard.
Comments: Large amounts of debris was washing through the marina with the current.  This sample was from a 5-gallon bucket dipped into what was washing past Hobbit.

Sample Number: 23
Date: 31-May
Location: Clarence Strait just south of Meyers Chuck
Subjective Plastics: None
Comments: About two quarts of Fucus in addition to smaller debris. Fucus fouled flowmeter.

Sample Number: 24
Date: 2-June
Location: Zimovia Strait about 5 mi. south of Wrangell
Subjective Plastics: None
Comments: The entire sample was only about a teaspoon full of plant material

Sample Number: 25
Date: 4-Jun
Location: Sumner Strait near S. end of Wrangell Narrows
Subjective Plastics: None
Comments: About 1/2 cup of plant debris

Sample Number: 26
Date: 5-Jun
Location: Petersburg harbor in Narrows
Subjective Plastics: A fiew small pieces of Styrofoam
Comments: About 6 quarts. Mostly Fucus, Nereocystis, Ulva

Sample Number: 27
Date: 7-Jun
Location: Frederick Sound between Thomas Bay and Cape Strait
Subjective Plastics: None
Comments: Less than one teaspoon. Megalops and small, clear eggs

Sample Number: 28
Date: 9-Jun
Location: Frederick Sound between Cape Fanshaw and Kupreanof Is
Subjective Plastics: None
Comments: Feeding humpback whales in the area. Sample size about 1 Tbsp. Mostly megalops

Sample Number: 29
Date: 11-Jun
Location: Stephens Passage between Pybus and Gambier Bays
Subjective Plastics: None
Comments: About 1/2 cup, mostly Alaria fistulosa

Sample Number: 30
Date: 15-Jun
Location: Stephens Passage just north of Tracy Arm
Subjective Plastics: None
Comments: About 1 gallon. Mostly Fucus

Sample Number: 31
Date: 18-Jun
Location: Juneau Harbor
Subjective Plastics: None
Comments: About 1 quart of pea soup consistency algae (diatoms, filamentous green, possibly cyanobacteria) uniformly coated the inside of the net. Will dry to less than a cup. No flowmeter fouling.

Sample Number: 31B
Location: Harris Harbor, Juneau
Subjective Plastics: Lots of Styrofoam
Comments: Five gallon bucket of flotsom beside boat while at dock. Mostly Fucus

Sample Number: 32
Date: 23-Jun
Location: Stephens Passage west of Douglass Is. near Auke Bay
Subjective Plastics: None
Comments: About 3 cups of pea soup consistency algae (diatoms, filamentous green, possibly cyanobacteria) uniformly coated the inside of the net. Will dry to less than a cup. No flowmeter fouling.

Sample Number: 33
Date: 24-Jun
Location: Lynn Canal north of Berners Bay
Subjective Plastics: None
Comments: About 2 Tbsp of a stringy algae. Seven or eight humpbacks feeding immediately north of sample.

Sample Number: 34
Date: 26-Jun
Location: Skagway
Subjective Plastics: None
Comments: About 3 Tbsp of mostly conifer needles. Dinghy Tow at 2 kts SOG

Sample Number: 35
Date: 1-Jul
Location: Lynn Canal outside James Bay
Subjective Plastics: 1 Piece Styrofoam
Comments: Three gallons of flotsom, mostly Fucus. Essentially all 3 gallons entered late in the tow in about 10 seconds.

Sample Number: 36
Date: 2-Jul
Location: Icy Strait west of Swanson Harbor
Subjective Plastics: None
Comments: About half a cup of Ulva, Fucus, and Zostera marina.

Sample Number: 37
Date: 3-Jul
Location: Glacier Bay west of Bartlett Cove
Subjective Plastics: None
Comments: About 3 cups, mostly Alaria fistulosa and Fucus. A Tbsp of plankton, probably mostly krill.

Sample Number: 38
Date: 3-Jul
Location: Glacier Bay, SW of Drake Is
Subjective Plastics: None
Comments: About 3 Tbsp. Mostly glacial till.

Sample Number: 39
Date: 3-Jul
Location: Glacier Bay, East of Blue Mouse Cove
Subjective Plastics: Probably none
Comments: About 1 cup, mostly Fucus. Had a lot of small white pieces that were soft but not Styrofoam.

Sample Number: 40
Date: 4-Jul
Location: Glacier Bay, north of Reid Inlet
Subjective Plastics: Probably none
Comments: About 1 Tbsp. Mostly a stringy mass reminiscent of man-made fiber. More small white pieces. Need laboratory analysis.

Sample Number: 41
Date: 6-Jul
Location: Glacier Bay, by Adams Inlet
Subjective Plastics: None
Comments: About 1/2 cup, mostly Fucus

Sample Number: 42
Date: 6-Jul
Location: Central Glacier Bay NW of N Marble Island
Subjective Plastics: Possibly one piece although maybe it’s a shell
Comments: Smallest sample to date. About 1/4 tsp

Sample Number: 43
Date: 8-Jul
Location: Icy Strait starting at the entrancer to Glacier Bay
Subjective Plastics: None
Comments: About 1/3 cup of diatoms and filamentous algae totally coated the inside of the net

Sample Number: 44
Date: 9-Jul
Location: Icy Strait outside Flynn Cove just west of Hoonah
Subjective Plastics: One pieceof styrofoam
Comments: About 2/3 cup of diatoms and filamentous algae totally coated the inside of the net

Sample Number: 45
Date: 10-Jul
Location: Tenakee Inlet
Subjective Plastics: None
Comments: About 1 cup of diatoms and filamentous algae totally coated the inside of the net

Sample Number: 46
Date: 12-Jul
Location: Chatham Strait at intersection with Peril Strait
Subjective Plastics: None
Comments: About 1 cup of Fucus and "bloom". Fucus wrapped around flowmeter.

Sample Number: 47
Date: 13-Jul
Location: Chatham Strait south of Ell Cove
Subjective Plastics: None
Comments: About 2/3 cup of diatoms and filamentous algae totally coated the inside of the net

Sample Number: 48
Date: 15-Jul
Location: Frederick Sound near SE end of Admiralty Island
Subjective Plastics: one piece of hard plastic ~1/4 by 1/2 inch
Comments: About 1/2 cup bloom

Sample Number: 49
Date: 21-Jul
Location: Seward Passage at south tip of Wrangell Is.
Subjective Plastics: None
Comments: About 2 quarts, mostly Fucus. About half the net coated with bloom.

Sample Number: 50
Date: 31-Jul
Location: Grenville Channel in front of Kumealon Inlet
Subjective Plastics: None
Comments: About 1 cup of diatoms and filamentous algae totally coated the inside of the net

Sample Number: 51
Date: 1-Aug
Location: Grenville Channel just south of Lowe Inlet
Subjective Plastics: None
Comments: About 1 cup of diatoms and filamentous algae totally coated the inside of the net. Also some conifer needles and macroalgae

Sample Number: 52
Date: 3-Aug
Location: Finlayson Channel near north end
Subjective Plastics: 1 piece of thin hard plastic about 2 x 4 mm
Comments: About 1/2 cup, Mostly ctenophores.

Sample Number: 53
Date: 7-Aug
Location: Fitzhugh Sound, south end by Addenbroke Point
Subjective Plastics: None
Comments: About 1 Tbsp of algal bloom

Sample Number: 54
Date: 9-Aug
Location: Port Alexander (Port Alexander is really just an inlet and not a port)
Subjective Plastics: Two pieces of Styrofoam, 2 small pieces of hard plastic, handle to Rubbermaid tool
Comments: About 2 quarts. Heavy load of bloom, Fucus, Aurelia, about a hundred small medusa, conifer needles

Sample Number: 55
Date: 9-Aug
Location: Port Hardy
Subjective Plastics: 1 pellet of Styrofoam
Comments: About 1 cup. Mostly Lola or Acrtosiphonia and Ulva. Totally coated with bloom. 3 medusa

Sample Number: 56
Date: 11-Aug
Location: Johnstrone Strait near Port Neville
Subjective Plastics: About a dozen pieces of plastic, mostly Styrofoam
Comments: Towed through an assemblage of woody debris, mostly bark and conifer needles. About 1 quart.

Sample Number: 57
Date: 14-Aug
Location: Comox Harbor
Subjective Plastics: One chunk (1"x1/2") of styrofoam. Several small pieces of hard plastic
Comments: Dinghy tow. About 2 quarts. Mostly Zostera marina and Ulva intestinalis. Some ctenophores and very small crabs

Sample Number: 58
Date: 15-Aug
Location: Nanaimo Harbor
Subjective Plastics: Lots of styrofoam as well as hard plastic. Even a wrapper.
Comments: Dinghy tow. About 1 1/2 quarts. Mostly Sargassum and Zostera marina.

Sample Number: 59
Date: 16-Aug
Location: Trincomali Channel just South of Porlier Pass (Gulf Islands)
Subjective Plastics: 2 Styrofoam beads, one piece of hard plastic
Comments: About 3 quarts received in the last 45 seconds of the tow as went through debris field. Sargassum, Z. marina, U. intestinais, Cyanella.

Sample Number: 60
Date: 18-Aug
Location: Friday Harbor
Subjective Plastics: None
Comments: About 1/2 cup. Mostly ctenophores.

Sample Number: 61
Date: 18-Aug
Location: Oak Harbor
Subjective Plastics: None
Comments: About 2 cups of bloom

Sample Number: 62
Date: 19-Aug
Location: Possession Sound between Gedney Is. And Naval Station Everett
Subjective Plastics: None
Comments: About 1 quart of mostly Z. marina and bloom