Jet skis are an exciting way to enjoy the waves and explore the coastline, but do they harm marine life?
Fish are more likely to be killed by propellers or caught in engines than directly harmed by jet skis. However, jet skis do cause damage to marine ecosystems due to the noise and emissions they create, which adversely affect the behavior and health of marine wildlife.
Keep reading to find out more about the dangers of jet skis in the environment and how you can reduce the damage.
How do watercraft affect the environment?
All watercraft affect marine eco-systems through the noise and emissions they produce.
The water turbulence caused by the engine vibrations of watercraft disturbs sediment, destroys aquatic flora, and contributes to shoreline erosion.
On top of this, the emissions and fuel leakage from watercraft cause water pollution, which damages the marine environment.
Do Jet skis cause damage?
Jet skis present a unique problem because they are able to access shallow and remote areas that larger watercraft cannot.
Shallow waters are home to corals, seagrass beds, and fish nurseries, environments which jet skis disturb.
The powerful stream of water that propels a jet ski unsettles sediment in shallow waters, harming aquatic plant growth.
Furthermore, jet skis are designed to operate best at full throttle, making them excessively noisy: jet skis reach noise levels of up to 115 decibels (a jackhammer is 105 decibels).
These vibrations are especially damaging in shallow waters, contributing to shore erosion and disturbing aquatic plant growth.
Jet skis are banned in most state parks in the USA, not just because of the noise they make but because of the excessive fuel and oil dumping that takes place, causing water pollution.
Old fashioned two-stroke engines are so inefficient that they dump up to 30% of their fuel unburned into the water.
What’s more, leaked fuel tends to collect particularly in shallow areas, killing plankton and small sea creatures and plants.
Jet skis are also problematic because they help to move invasive and non-native species between bodies of water.
Have jet skis harmed fish?
The noise jet skis make can disturb communication patterns between some species of fish, and cause distress which has a knock-on effect on how animals respond to pollution and disease.
Further, the propulsion powering these watercraft causes alterations in wave climate and turbidity, affecting fish habitats and behavior.
Jet skis can also cause direct injury to marine wildlife, including endangered species such as manatees, which live in shallow and remote areas accessible to jet skis.
There have been several cases of manatees being run over and injured or killed by jet skis in Florida, and even one case of a humpback whale being injured in 2014.
Because they travel at speed and skate over the top of the water, drivers do not always see the wildlife beneath the waves and are unable to avoid collisions.
How can the damage jet skis cause be limited?
Damage can be minimized by adhering to no-wake zones, keeping to low speeds and being aware of the kind of wildlife in the local area that you need to be careful about.
The chance of causing damage is increased at low tide as the low water levels mean valuable fish nurseries and seagrass beds are exposed.
In general, driving in shallow areas should be avoided, especially at low tide.
You can also refill fuel on land to avoid spillage, and wash your craft after every use to avoid contaminating one water source with debris and wildlife from another.
Do jet skis kill fish?
Jet skis do not generally kill fish directly. When fish are harmed by other watercraft it is usually because they are struck by a propeller, and jet skis don’t use propellers.
However, they do cause significant damage to the marine environment.
Part of the appeal of the jet ski is that they are designed to maneuver shallow waters – shallow waters that are home to delicate seagrass beds and fish nurseries.
The vibrations jet skis produce disturb marine wildlife and contribute to shore erosion, and they cause pollution particularly in shallow areas.
Because jet skis can access remote areas they can also endanger protected species such as manatees by running into them, causing injury or death.
Excessive damage can be minimized by adhering to guidelines such as no-wake zones, as well as being aware of what wildlife you should look out for.