During this expedition, Algalita collected plastic pollution samples across the Equatorial Currents, the South Pacific Subtropical Gyre and at various stations along the Chilean coast in order to strengthen the existing data set. In addition to quantitative analysis, Algalita investigated how plastic in the South Pacific threatens fish survival in this region. Lanternfish (myctophids) account for as much as 55% of global fish biomass and they play a critical role in the food chain. The health of the entire ocean is dependent on their survival and any disruptions can have a domino effect that may lead to ecological collapse. An Algalita study, (Boerger et al. 2010), found that 35% of these fish in the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre had consumed plastic, some in large quantities.