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High levels of microplastic ingestion by the semipelagic fish bogue Boops boops (L.) around the Balearic Islands
Summary
Researchers found microplastics in 68% of bogue fish stomachs sampled in the Balearic Islands, with only fiber-type microplastics present. The high ingestion rate in this semi-pelagic Mediterranean fish suggests widespread exposure in the water column and raises concerns about plastic transfer through the food web in this sea.
For the first time this study reports on the presence of microplastics (1 nm to <5 mm) in the gastrointestinal tracts of small semipelagic fish (Boops boops) in the Balearic Islands (Mediterranean Sea) from March to May 2014. The results show microplastic ingestion in 68% of full stomach samples with an average of 3.75 items per fish. Only filament type microplastics were observed in B. boops full gastrointestinal tracts. The frequency of occurrence of microplastics was high, with values ranging from 42% to 80%, in comparison to the other ingested items. Spatial variability among locations is high, which suggests that this type of contamination is ubiquitously distributed and originates from multiple sources. The results are important and indirectly provide further evidence of the presence of microplastics, which can be ingested by biota, in the marine environment.