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Artisanal trawl fisheries as a sentinel of marine litter pollution
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Researchers investigated microplastic ingestion by Antarctic penguins, finding particles in stomach samples collected from breeding adults. The study documents microplastic exposure in one of the most remote seabird species on Earth, with fragment types suggesting both direct ingestion and trophic transfer from contaminated prey fish.
Systematic seafloor surveys are a highly desirable method of marine litter monitoring, but the high costs involved in seafloor sampling are not a trivial handicap. In the present work, we explore the opportunity provided by the artisanal trawling fisheries to obtain systematic data on marine litter in the Gulf of Cadiz between 2019 and 2021. We find that plastic was the most frequent material, with a prevalence of single-use and fishing-related items. Litter densities decreased with increasing distance to shore with a seasonal migration of the main litter hotspots. During pre-lockdown and post-lockdown stages derived from COVID-19, marine litter density decreased by 65 %, likely related to the decline in tourism and outdoor recreational activities. A continuous collaboration of 33 % of the local fleet would imply a removal of hundreds of thousands of items each year. The artisanal trawl fishing sector can play a unique role of monitoring marine litter on the seabed.
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Contribution to the assessment of marine litter in the North Moroccan Atlantic
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Researchers trawled the seafloor along the North Moroccan Atlantic coast and found marine litter at half of 60 sampling stations, with plastic making up 81% of all waste collected. Litter concentrated mainly along the Mehdia–El Jadida corridor, and fishing gear was identified as the primary source. This study provides baseline data for an understudied Atlantic coast and underscores how fishing activities contribute heavily to seafloor plastic pollution even in areas with relatively low human population density.
Spatial and temporal trends of marine litter in the Spanish Mediterranean seafloor
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Researchers analyzed 11 years of MEDITS trawl survey data to map marine litter on the Spanish Mediterranean seafloor, finding plastics were the most abundant litter by weight, that densities varied significantly by region, and that overall litter levels remained stable or slightly decreased over the study period.
Fishing for litter, accidental catch in bottom trawl nets along the Catalan coast, Northwestern Mediterranean
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Analysis of marine litter caught by bottom trawlers along the Catalan coast found plastic in 97% of 305 hauls over three years, with an estimated total removal potential of 237 tons per year, concentrated near urbanized areas and dominated by plastic including wet wipes near Barcelona.
The Seafloor Marine Debris on the North and the Central Part Ofthe Moroccan Atlantic Waters from Tangier (35° n) to Sidi Ifni (29° n): Composition, Abundance, Spatial Distribution, Sources and Movement
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Researchers used trawl surveys to map marine debris on the seafloor along 1,300 km of Morocco's Atlantic coast, documenting the composition, abundance, and distribution of debris from bottom trawling surveys. Plastic waste dominated the debris, with findings providing baseline data on seafloor plastic pollution in a heavily fished and under-studied region.
Floating microplastic loads in the nearshore revealed through citizen science
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Researchers used citizen science manta trawl deployments across 124 transects in the NW Mediterranean to characterize floating microplastic loads in nearshore coastal waters, finding substantial plastic pollution concentrated close to shore where emissions are highest.
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When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.