Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
8870789 | Marine Pollution Bulletin | 2018 | 7 Pages |
Abstract
This study reports data on benthic litter abundance, composition and distribution obtained during deep-sea trawl surveys conducted along the Sardinian continental margin down to the bathyal plain, at depths comprised from 740 to 1740â¯m. None of the investigated sites was litter free. Density ranged from a minimum of 4 to a maximum of >1300 litter items per km2, with a mean value of 258â¯Â±â¯59 items. Plastic accounted for 56% of the total collected items, followed by glass (24%), metal (10%). Most items, irrespectively of the category, were single-use items. Fish abundance in all of the investigated catches was significantly higher than the number of litter items, the weight of which was similar to the reared fish biomass. Our results confirm that anthropogenic waste has reached the deep Mediterranean Sea, and that the most recent EU legislation banning single-use plastic tools represents a timely and necessary measure.
Keywords
Related Topics
Physical Sciences and Engineering
Earth and Planetary Sciences
Oceanography
Authors
Alessandro Cau, Andrea Bellodi, Davide Moccia, Antonello Mulas, Paola Pesci, Rita Cannas, Antonio Pusceddu, Maria Cristina Follesa,