Aww the pygmy seahorse that I (and your photographer friend) can never see!! Such a beautiful macro photo!
I stayed in that oil rig - the dive site they have created underneath it is full of macro treasures! I also stayed in Mabul, 2 years ago at one of the stilt houses. Every single day in the morning and in the evening massive amounts of garbage would wash up around the island. The locals dump it straight into the water. They have no infrastructure in place to support the amount of tourism. Broke my heart. I was so worried about the turtles, poking their heads up. I am happy the permits for Sipadan are limited but Mabul is not far and, this garbage every single day! I just don't know what I as a tourist can do. I felt so helpless.
Yes, the problem of garbage in the ocean is huge. Local residents on almost all islands are accustomed to using the ocean. I saw this in the Far East, in Oceania, in Asia, in the Caribbean islands. Everywhere the same thing ((
Tourists also often do not care about the preservation of nature. Of the exceptions, I heard only about Easter Island. There, everyone who flew to the island is obliged to take everything he brought from him. Including garbage.
But even accidentally carried away by the wind plastic bags, can cause great harm (