THE BOMMIE PROJECT
In June 2013 in a joint project between GhostNets Australia, Tangaroa Blue, Mapoon Land and Sea Rangers and Conservation Volunteers Australia conducted a massive beach clean-up was done along 11km of beach at Mapoon on the west coast of the Gulf of Carpenteria in far North Queensland. Each piece of debris was picked up by hand, carefully weighed, separated, counted, recorded and sent to Cairns for recycling or put into the local land fill. Over 3 tonnes of marine debris was collected including more than 7000 thongs. While Australia is responsible for some of this rubbish, more than 95% of the debris found on the beach come from countries in southeast Asia, usually as a result of rubbish being washed by floods and storms into river systems which flow into the Asia-Pacific and then get caught in currents that eventually flow into the Gulf of Carpenteria, bringing this debris with them. Sadly a significant amount of debris is also the result of illegal dumping of rubbish into the oceans.
When sunlight hits plastic it begins to break down releasing tiny microscopic particles of plastics into the ocean currents and of course the ocean food chains. This has significant impact on the health of marine creatures and the reef systems that sustain the incredible diversity of life in our tropical waters and especially on the Great Barrier Reef. Some of these nets took three people to lift, while others were simply too heavy and so were cut down into smaller pieces, cleaned of squid jigs, turtle bones, floats and other debris.
The structure of the Reef Bombie began with a simple bamboo framework. Given the long distances between Mapoon and Cairns and the cost involved in transport, it was designed and built in two parts so that it could fit into the back of a Toyota troop carrier. It was then given a basic form using galvanised wire, lawyer cane and chicken wire.
Along with tonnes of marine debris, giant nets which have been lost from fishing trawlers and cargo ships also get caught in the currents. These are called ghost nets because they continue to drift through the oceans catching fish, crocodiles, turtles, sharks, dugongs, corals and other marine life causing enormous damage to marine ecologies. As they get full more animals come to feed off the fish already caught, then they too become entangled in the net. Eventually, under the weight of this “catch” the nets sink to the bottom of the ocean. The bodies of the animals and fish disintegrate and after a time, the nets rise and the cycle begins again. Some of these nets are kilometers long, weigh tonnes and keep drifting for years and years continuing to cause needless death and environmental destruction. Sometimes storms and cyclones wash these nets up onto shores and they are covered by sand, lying dormant for years and undiscovered until another large storm exposes them and they are dragged back into the oceans again.
Along with tonnes of marine debris, giant nets which have been lost from fishing trawlers and cargo ships also get caught in the currents. These are called ghost nets because they continue to drift through the oceans catching fish, crocodiles, turtles, sharks, dugongs, corals and other marine life causing enormous damage to marine ecologies. As they get full more animals come to feed off the fish already caught, then they too become entangled in the net. Eventually, under the weight of this “catch” the nets sink to the bottom of the ocean. The bodies of the animals and fish disintegrate and after a time, the nets rise and the cycle begins again. Some of these nets are kilometers long, weigh tonnes and keep drifting for years and years continuing to cause needless death and environmental destruction. Sometimes storms and cyclones wash these nets up onto shores and they are covered by sand, lying dormant for years and undiscovered until another large storm exposes them and they are dragged back into the oceans again.
The reef bombie holds stories within stories. Stories of life made from plastic debris and nets which take away life. It has been made by many many hands and every object woven into the artwork tells stories which have travelled hundreds if not thousands of kilometers. The artists and people who have made this possible hope that you will be inspired and understand how precious our marine life is and just how threatened they are by our human waste. More importantly we hope that you will be inspired to contribute to this project, to collect your own debris and make your own story. Perhaps this way by working together we can make a difference to change this problem to protect our exquisite marine life and precious oceans.