Galway Bay fm newsroom - Prawns in Galway Bay face extinction because of increasing plastic pollution in the Atlantic Ocean.
That's according to research carried out by a team at NUI Galway, who say the pollution poses significant economic risk to important Irish fisheries.
Researchers at NUI Galway have published a new study on microplastic pollution and its effects on marine life along the west coast.
It finds that 'pervasive' pollution poses significant risks to economically important Irish fisheries - and list the Galway Bay prawn as a prime example.
The study found the Galway Bay prawn may be experiencing high exposure to microplastic pollution - leading to reduced fitness and potential reproductive failure.
Researchers noted that the Aran Grounds fishery off the coast of Galway has a catch of prawns worth almost 100 million euro - which supports the entire fishing fleet from Rossaveal.
According to the Irish Daily Mail, although microplastic pollution is increasing over time, identifying the source of the pollution is very difficult.
Researchers say nylon fibres are predominant at the sea floor - but it's impossible to say whether they originate from fishing gear, water treatment plants or household run-off.
