Divers brave briny Edmonds entanglements to collect marine debris

EDMONDS — The “feels like” temperature was a teeth-chattering 33 degrees Sunday morning as 12 divers prepared to plunge into the Salish Sea to scavenge for debris.

Hiding from the biting wind, they huddled around a fire pit just off marina beach while Emerald Sea Dive Club member Matthew Shawhan explained the ground rules for the 70-foot dive.

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Their objective was straightforward: collect the manmade odds and ends at the bottom of the sea that shouldn’t be there. Things like fishing line, nets, bait baskets, lures, cans, weights, clothing and plastic pieces all pose threats to wildlife. A team of people would wait at the pier to hoist up milk crates that had been sunken for the divers to fill.

“Plastic leaches, so it gets into the fish and then into us after we eat them,” Shawhan said. “Removing (the debris) keeps us healthier, keeps the fish healthier, keeps the community healthier and protects biodiversity.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/divers-brave-briny-edmonds-entanglements-to-collect-marine-debris/ar-AA19p7BX