Fish drawn to feed on plastic due to deceptive chemical signature

Eco-magazine: ‘When a small fish, like an anchovy, is eaten by a larger predator, whatever is in that smaller fish extends up the entire food chain. That’s why it’s important for us to understand why more than fifty marine species seem driven to ingest plastic debris. According to a paper published 16 August 2017 in Proceedings of the Royal Society B, some fish aren’t just eating plastic by accident. Because of the way plastic smells in the marine environment, they search it out as prey.

The published paper: “Odours from marine plastic debris induce food search behaviours in a forage fish” says that “recent evidence suggests that the chemical signature of plastic debris may explain why certain species are predisposed to mistaking plastic for food.” The researchers found that “anchovy schools responded to plastic debris odour with increased aggregation and reduced rheotaxis.” Click here to read more