Studies of microplastic content in water and commercial fish: from scientific research to large-scale monitoring

Purpose . The article presents proposals for the development of studies of microplastic pollution of waters and biological resources in the Russian fishery areas. Materials and methods . The materials of VNIRO on the quantitative assessment of the MPs content in the Arctic Seas in August-October 2019–2022 and modern research on this problem are summarized. MPs samples were collected on the surface of the seas with a Manta-trawl 335 and processed according to a single method. Results . The conducted studies pick up knowledge gaps regarding the real level of marine MPs pollution of the Arctic region. Novelty . No large-scale localization of MPs was detected in the observation areas, the level of plastic pollution on the surface of the Russian Arctic seas was lower compared to other areas of the World Ocean. We point out the relevance of the assumption that a significant part of MPs fragments and fibers are transported by Atlantic and Pacific currents to the Arctic basin. A sample survey of fish in commercial catches for MPs contamination confirmed the presence of its fragments and fibers in the digestive tract of some individuals (pink salmon, greenlings, herring, sea bass) caught in the North Pacific seas in 2019, 2021 and 2022. Practical significance . The global increase in MPs content in the Northern hemisphere seas, exacerbated by climate change, requires a transition from exploratory scientific observations to regular multidisciplinary study of plastic pollution of biotopes of ecosystems of the Arctic, North Pacific and Atlantic seas. The key points and tasks of monitoring microplastic pollution of waters and biological resources in the Russian fishing areas provide for objective and comparable assessments based on the use of unified methods of collection and processing of samples, as well as an ecosystem approach to prevent environmental risks and ensure food safety.