(26-08-09) Scientists and research volunteers are seeking new data about the accumulation of plastics and other debris on the Pacific Ocean. A great, giant size garbage patch sails out of control at northern ocean waters. 

    Scientists from Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego are in the midst of an unprecedented research journey into the vast and little-explored "Great Pacific Ocean Garbage Patch." Called the Scripps Environmental Accumulation of Plastic Expedition (SEAPLEX), this research mission has gotten its first close-up and detailed looks during its 20-day voyage to survey and sample plastic debris in this remote ocean region.

The Scripps research vessel (R/V) New Horizon left its San Diego homeport on Aug. 2 for the North Pacific Ocean Gyre, roughly a thousand miles off California's coast. With collaborators from Project Kaisei, the team is surveying plastic distribution and abundance, collecting samples for analysis in the lab and assessing the impacts of debris on marine life.

The scientists and research volunteers aboard are seeking scientific data on just how much influence the accumulation of human-produced plastic and other debris has on this ocean area. Prior to this cruise, very little was known about the size of the "garbage patch" and threats to marine life and the gyre's biological environment.

    "During the SEAPLEX cruise, we are going to try to target the highest plastic areas we see to begin to understand the scope of the problem," said Miriam Goldstein, chief scientist of the expedition, before the team embarked for the North Pacific Gyre. "The team of graduate students will be studying everything from phytoplankton to zooplankton to small midwater fish."

Upon completion of the cruise, scientists and supporters from the Scripps Oceanography SEAPLEX expedition will recount their research voyage and discuss initial scientific findings at a press conference at Scripps Institution of Oceanography in La Jolla, Calif., on Thursday, Aug. 27, at 11 am (PDT). Streaming web video and dial-in, tele-conference calling capabilities for media will be available.