Pacific Garbage Patch Covers 1.6 Million Sq Km, Dominated by Fishing Gear

A massive accumulation of plastic debris spanning 1.6 million square kilometers floats in the Pacific Ocean between Hawaii and California. The patch is largely made up of fishing gear such as nets and ropes, along with significant quantities of microplastics. Marine wildlife faces serious threats from this pollution, as animals frequently mistake plastic fragments for food. Other creatures become entangled and trapped in abandoned fishing equipment, known as ghost gear.