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Microplastics in offshore fish from the Agulhas Bank, South Africa
Summary
Researchers found microplastics in all seven commercially targeted fish species (N=105) sampled from the Agulhas Bank offshore of South Africa, with 86.67% of individual fish containing MPs at abundances of 2.8-4.6 items per fish. Fibers (95.14%) in black (38.11%) were the dominant morphology, and no relationship was found between MP concentration and distance from shore, representing the first record of offshore MP contamination in southern African fish.
The extent and type of microplastic (MP) contamination in South African open ocean marine resources is unknown. This study aims to report on MP ingestion in seven commercially targeted fish species from the Agulhas Bank, south of South Africa. MPs were found in all seven species sampled (N = 105) (Trachurus capensis, Merluccius capensis, Merluccius paradoxus, Etrumeus whiteheadi, Scomber japonicus, Chelidonichthys capensis and Argyrozona argyrozona). MPs were recorded in 86.67% fish sampled, with abundances ranging from 2.8 to 4.6 items/fish. Most MPs were fibres (95.14%), black (38.11%) and ranged from 1000 to 500 μm (35.55%) in size. There was no difference in microplastic concentration in relation to distance from shore (p > .05). This is the first record of MPs in offshore fish from southern Africa and the results indicate that more research is required to assess the extent of MP contamination in the region.