This is a complicated question because marine debris can impact animals in lots of different ways. Animals can suffer a loss of habitat due to damage from marine debris, can become entangled in debris, or accidentally eat debris thinking it’s real food. Marine debris can also act as a free ride for invasive species; a marine organism can attach to debris, riding it for many miles to a new area where it doesn’t belong and can take over the environment there, harming other animals. For more information on this topic, check out our page on marine debris impacts.