Ocean Mystery: Hundreds of Unknown Threats at 100ft!

On December 30, 2023, we dove the Ligpo/Bauan Baura dive site. This is one of the most beautiful and challenging deep reefs in Batangas, Philippines. It’s home to Turtles, Eagle Rays, White Tip Sharks, Frogfish, Jacks and more.

We encountered a troubling sight. Scattered across the reef, at 25-29 meters (82-100 feet) are hundreds of thin-small plastic film bags without handles. Each bag contains a heavy hand-sized stone (1-1.5 lbs) and sealed at the neck with a knot.

These ‘plastic stone bags' pose a severe threat to marine life. Turtles mistake them for jellyfish, a vital part of their diet, leading to lethal ingestion. The bags also attract algae, resembling food to turtles, and may endanger other marine species like Eagle Rays. Moreover, as these plastics degrade, they contribute to the growing microplastic crisis, impacting both marine ecosystems and our food systems.

Why these 'stone-bags' are scattered across the reef remains a mystery. One speculation is their use as inexpensive sinkers for fishing lines, replacing standard lead weights/sinkers. If you have insights on their purpose or know-how to curb this practice, please comment below. Your knowledge can help stop this harmful practice.

If you dive the Ligpo/Bauan Bahura site, please help by removing these plastic threats. For those new to the dive site, consider joining our weekly dives to Ligpo/Bauan Bahura's to help remove these plastic threats. Together, let's protect our oceans and make a meaningful difference.

For more information, you can email us at [email protected] or reach us through facebook at   / godiveph  

Thanks for watching
@godiveph

00:00 What Is This?
01:00 This Is Their Home
01:15 Beside The Turtle Is Another Stone Bag
02:11 Plastic Looks Like Jellyfish
02:27 Stone Bags Everywhere
02:51 Who Would Do This?
03:19 Old Bag With Algae
03:56 Stowing Plastic For Disposal
04:20 Bag Neck Is Tied Shut
04:42 Turtle Stats
05:17 Sea Turtle Facts Sheet
05:44 Turtle Eating Jellyfish
06:00 Not Debris. Casting the Stone Bag Seems Deliberate.
06:37 Hazard To Whale Shark & Dolphins Too
06:57 Computer Data - We Have To Go
07:22 Dive Site Location and Plea
07:32 On Land Count Of Plastic Retrieved
07:48 Outro

#PlasticPollution #SaveOurOceans #MarineConservation
#ScubaDiving #Philippines #UnderwaterMystery #Turtle #DiveTravel
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