A manta trawl is a net system for sampling the surface of the ocean. It resembles a

manta ray Manta rays are large Batoidea, rays belonging to the genus ''Mobula'' (formerly its own genus ''Manta''). The larger species, ''Giant oceanic manta ray, M. birostris'', reaches in width, while the smaller, ''Reef manta ray, M. alfredi'', reac ...

, with metal wings and a broad mouth. The net it pulls is made of thin mesh, and the whole trawl is towed behind a scientific

research vessel A research vessel (RV or R/V) is a ship or boat designed, modified, or equipped to carry out research at sea. Research vessels carry out a number of roles. Some of these roles can be combined into a single vessel but others require a dedicated ...

.Moore, Charle
"Trashed: across the Pacific Ocean, plastics, plastics, everywhere"
''Natural History'', November, 2003 The manta trawl is useful for collecting samples from the surface of the ocean, such as sampling the plastic pieces making up the Great Pacific Garbage Patch as well as the associated

plankton Plankton are the diverse collection of organisms that drift in Hydrosphere, water (or atmosphere, air) but are unable to actively propel themselves against ocean current, currents (or wind). The individual organisms constituting plankton are ca ...

External links

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including video

References

{{Marine pollution Planktology Aquatic ecology Biological oceanography Oceanographic instrumentation