Research by the Marine Institute ship Celtic Explorer shows the impact of plastic waste on sea life.
Marine life is under threat from discarded rubbish, clothing fibres and microbeads from beauty products.
Our oceans are awash with vast quantities of plastic that's damaging marine life.
Scientists from NUI Galway on board the Celtic Explorer recovered 233 dead deep sea fish when trawling depths of up 600 metres in the north west Atlantic. The stomachs of 73 per cent of the fish contained microplastics. This is one of the highest levels of contamination recorded anywhere in the world.
Alina Wieczorek, lead author of the survey and PhD candidate at NUI Galway, said that they still have to establish the exact source of the microfibres found in the fish.
The survey shows that fish are ingesting these plastics hundreds of miles from shore. Researchers may have come from a particularly polluted part of the Atlantic Ocean where circular currents in the water can lead to an accumulation of plastic.
Scientists also need to establish whether or not toxicity in plastics can be passed up the food chain. Professor John O'Halloran of UCC, says that some microplastics can contain contaminates on their surface and can cause hazards to both animals and humans.
Dr Car Augustenborg of Friends of the Earth Europe wants to see the introduction of the Waste Reduction Bill and a further bill targeting microplastic pollution.
An RTÉ News report broadcast on 19 February 2018. The reporter is Will Goodbody.
