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Gray whale

UN adopts High Seas Treaty to protect the ocean

At the UN 'High Seas Treaty' negotiations in New York, a historic vote for the...

Hopes raised for whale and dolphin protection after last minute landmark nature agreement

WDC's Ed Goodall (far right) at COP15 with Thérèse Coffey (centre) UK Secretary of State...

WDC orca champion picks up award

Beatrice Whishart MSP picks up her Nature Champion award The Scottish Environment LINK, an organisation...

Large number of dolphins moved to Abu Dhabi marine park

Up to 24 captive bottlenose dolphins have reportedly been sent to a new SeaWorld theme...

Plans for new plastic 'eating' ship are revealed

Design plans for a new eco-yacht that collects plastic from the ocean and recycles it into fuel have been unveiled in Southampton.

The £40million ‘Ocean Saviour’ has been specially designed to scoop up five tonnes of plastic pollution each day, which is then recycled into fuel that will power the vessel itself.

The ‘Ocean Saviour’ has been described as the a ‘combine harvester of the sea’ because it will use two 230ft booms on either side of the ship to gather up the plastic, funnel it in to the vessel via a conveyor belt where it is then chopped and processed through onboard machinery to break it down.

The finely-chopped plastic will then be used to fuel the vessel, meaning it can power itself for months on end and carry on collecting plastic.

Plastic pollution is a growing threat to whales and dolphins as well as seabirds and other marine creatures. Fifty-six percent of all whale and dolphin species, from small fish-eating dolphins to the largest filter feeding whales, have been recorded eating marine plastics they’ve mistaken for food.

For more information on the plastics issue, its effect of whales and dolphins, and how you can help, go to WDC’s #NotWhaleFood site and join the battle against plastic pollution.