Rubbish warning after grey nurse shark filmed trapped in plastic ring
A maimed shark has been filmed swimming off the NSW mid-north coast with a plastic ring stuck around its neck.
The distressing video, posted on Facebook last week by the Forster Dive Centre, shows the plastic ring slicing into the shark's body.
"We encountered this poor Grey Nurse Shark yesterday at Seal Rocks NSW," the dive centre wrote in a Facebook post.
READ MORE: 'Massages costing $10,000 and a $361 steak' used to woo Lehrmann
The shark was seen swimming off Seal Rocks, on the NSW mid-north coast, with the ring around its neck. Forster Dive Centre/Facebook
"She's been living with what looks to be a round ring of plastic similar to a frisbee and it's cutting badly into her body."
The shark, which was about 1.6m long, "probably won't survive too long like this," the dive centre said.
The Forster Dive Centre said the graphic video was a reminder for all about the devastating impacts of people discarding rubbish on our beaches and into our oceans.
READ MORE: Browsing in incognito mode doesn't protect you as much as you might think
According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) plastic waste makes up 80 percent of all marine pollution and around 8 to 10 million metric tons of plastic end up in the ocean each year.
It is predicted that by 2050, plastic will outweigh all fish in the sea.
Forster Dive Centre said there were simple things everyone could do to help protect ocean life, including disposing of rubbish responsibly and taking part in initiatives such as "take 3 for the sea".
The Australian charity Take 3 for the Sea encourages beachgoers to pick up the three pieces of rubbish before they leave
Share a tip-off, video or photo with us
