“In 1970, Washington tied thousands of discarded tires to reefs to improve bottom fishing: years later, the ropes failed and 100,000 remained submerged”
A study reveals how these artificial habitats create unforeseen problems
When nature is not suited to human development, humans seek ways to shape it artificially for their own interest and development as a society, without being aware of what this means for the environment.
In Washington, they decided in the 1970s that it would be a good idea to create artificial reefs in Puget Sound to improve the seabed for fish such as rock cod and expand recreational fishing opportunities. To do this, they dumped more than 100,000 discarded tires tied together with polypropylene rope into the water, distributed across 20 locations in the area.
Now, nearly 40 years later, this case was studied by the University of Washington's School of Marine and Environmental Affairs, which offers a clear conclusion: creating artificial marine habitats can generate serious problems.
Promoting creative fishing: the reason behind the more than 100,000 tires submerged in Washington
According to the university, at that time, the laws were quite strict regarding salmon fishing, which led sport fishermen to focus on bottom fishing for species such as rockfish. The state's Department of Fish and Wildlife even came to collaborate with fishing groups to carry out this project.
The problem was not only that tires were used, but also that they incorporated concrete, plastics, PVC, and even train cars. With all of this, reefs were formed so that small fish could use them as shelter. Everything seemed perfect until the polypropylene rope that held the tires together deteriorated and allowed these objects to move from their original locations and spread across the seabed. Some even reached the coast.
More than 100,000 tires are still being collected from the seabed
According to a KING report, it is estimated that more than 100,000 tires remain in Puget Sound, but the figure is believed to be higher. Now, the Department of Natural Resources is working to locate the piles of tires, recover them from the water, and send the damaged material for proper disposal.
