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Transboundary plastic pollution from North American lobster fisheries reaches Atlantic Islands
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Plastic gear from lobster fisheries in the US and Canada, mostly trap tags, has been washing up on remote Azores islands in the Atlantic, some pieces having drifted at sea for over 30 years. This shows plastic pollution doesn't stay put: trash from fishing boats thousands of miles away ends up breaking down in faraway ocean ecosystems, where it can persist for decades and eventually contribute to the microplastics that enter seafood and, ultimately, our diets. The findings highlight the need for better tracking of fishing gear and international cooperation to stop plastic waste at its source before it spreads
Oceanic islands are strongly affected by marine debris transported across long distances, highlighting the transboundary nature of plastic pollution and the challenges it poses for marine governance. While identifying the sources of most marine debris remains difficult, fisheries-related items can act as traceable indicators of origin and responsibility. This study presents a detailed inventory of plastic debris from lobster fisheries in eastern North America recovered in the Azores archipelago (NE Atlantic). A total of 1577 items were recorded, mainly lobster escape vents and trap tags. Analysis showed that most trap tags originated from the USA (63%), mainly from the state of Maine (76%), whereas the remaining tags were from Canada. Tags dated from 1983 to 2023, indicating that some debris had drifted in the North Atlantic for over three decades. The average time between tag registration and collection was 12 ± 7 years for US tags. These findings demonstrate how remote islands are affected by transboundary plastics and underscore the challenges faced by management authorities of island nations. The results support the need for coordinated international policies, improved gear marking and reporting systems, and preventive measures targeting lobster trap fisheries to reduce long-term plastic leakage into the marine environment.
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Plastic pollution in islands of the Atlantic Ocean
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A survey of plastic pollution on beaches of Atlantic Ocean islands from the Azores to Tristan da Cunha found microplastics and macroplastics at all locations, with composition suggesting origin from both local and long-distance ocean transport. The findings confirm that even remote Atlantic islands serve as sinks for globally circulating plastic debris.
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Scientists surveyed the beaches of remote Macquarie Island, located far from major cities in the subantarctic ocean, and still found plastic bottles, fishing gear, and other trash washed ashore from countries around the world. This shows that ocean plastic pollution travels huge distances and pollutes even the most isolated places on Earth, trash you throw away can end up thousands of miles from home, breaking down into smaller plastic bits that harm marine life and eventually work their way into the food chain we all rely on.
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Microplastics were found throughout a remote Patagonian fjord system in Chile — in surface water, beach sand, bottom sediments, and zooplankton — despite the near-absence of local human activity. The dominant contaminant was polyester fiber (about 60% of particles), pointing to distant oceanic sources rather than local runoff, with ocean currents transporting pollution from heavily populated regions. This finding shows that no marine environment is truly pristine anymore, and that even the most isolated ecosystems are vulnerable to plastic pollution carried by global ocean circulation.
Backtracing of marine litter and microplastic from OSPAR beaches in the North Atlantic
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Researchers used ocean circulation modeling to backtrace the origins of marine litter and microplastics collected at OSPAR monitoring beaches in the North Atlantic and North Sea, identifying likely source regions and transport timescales. This study demonstrates that systematic beach data combined with Lagrangian modeling can reveal transboundary pollution pathways.
Understanding the sources of marine litter in remote islands: The Galapagos islands as a case study
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Researchers tracked plastic bottle litter on 60 remote beaches across the Galapagos Islands from 2018 to 2022 to determine where marine debris originates. The study found that 76% of beaches were badly polluted, with bottles traced to sources in Asia, South America, and Central America, demonstrating how ocean currents carry plastic waste thousands of miles to even the most isolated island ecosystems.
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