Editorial: Impacts of Marine Litter

Galgani, Luisa; Beiras, Ricardo; Galgani, François; Panti, Cristina; Borja, Ángel

doi:10.3389/fmars.2019.00208

Cited by 111 publications

(39 citation statements)

References 24 publications

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“…(5) The harmonization of methodologies and regular assessments through opportunistic approaches in longterm benthic biodiversity monitoring is essential to compare data and gain long-term support to the evaluation of accumulation and impacts. Moreover, the development of models on pathways for litter distribution and transfer could represent a useful instrument for tracking litter spread and impact (Galgani et al, 2019). (6) Several actions are already set on to reduce litter impact, ranging from the removing of litter on the seafloor to the reduction of ALDFG through prevention and mitigation (FAO, 2016).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Only in the last few years, increasing interest is also focusing on the distribution and injuries to benthic habitats and invertebrates caused by anthropogenic litter accumulating on the seafloor. Increasing awareness on this issue is stimulating scientific research, monitoring programs, NGO activities (Consoli et al, 2019), and it is initiating political action to tackle this environmental problem (Galgani et al, 2013;Galgani et al, 2019;Ronchi et al, 2019).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Impacts of Marine Litter on Mediterranean Reef Systems: From Shallow to Deep Waters

Angiolillo

Fortibuoni

2020

Front. Mar. Sci.

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Biogenic reefs are known worldwide to play a key role in benthic ecosystems, enhancing biodiversity and ecosystem functioning at every level, from shallow to deeper waters. Unfortunately, several stressors threaten these vulnerable systems. The widespread presence of marine litter represents one of these. The harmful effects of marine litter on several organisms are known so far. However, only in the last decade, there was increasingly scientific and public attention on the impacts on reef organisms and habitats caused by litter accumulating on the seafloor. This review aims to synthesize literature and discuss the state of current knowledge on the interactions between marine litter and reef organisms in a strongly polluted basin, the Mediterranean Sea. The multiple impacts (e.g., entanglement, ghost-fishing, coverage, etc.) of litter on reef systems, the list of species impacted, and the main litter categories were identified, and a map of the knowledge available so far on this topic was provided. Seventy-eight taxa resulted impacted by marine litter on Mediterranean reefs, and the majority belonged to the phylum Cnidaria (41%), including endangered species like the red coral (Corallium rubrum) and the madrepora coral (Madrepora oculata). Entanglement, caused mainly by abandoned, lost, or otherwise discarded fishing gear (ALDFG), was the most frequent impact, playing a detrimental effect mainly on coralligenous arborescent species and cold-water corals (CWCs). The information was spatially heterogeneous, with some areas almost uncovered by scientific studies (e.g., the Aegean-Levantine Sea and the Southern Mediterranean Sea). Although many legal and policy frameworks have been established to tackle this issue [e.g., marine strategy framework directive (MSFD) and the Barcelona Convention], several gaps still exist concerning the assessment of the impact of marine litter on marine organisms, and in particular on reefs. There is a need for harmonized and standardized monitoring protocols for the collection of quantitative data to assess the impact of litter on reefs and animal forests. At the same time, urgent management measures limiting, for instance, the impact of ALDFG and other marine litter are needed to preserve these valuable and vulnerable marine ecosystems.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Impacts of Marine Litter on Mediterranean Reef Systems: From Shallow to Deep Waters

Angiolillo

Fortibuoni

2020

Front. Mar. Sci.

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“…Plastic pollution is entirely caused by the human production of plastic materials, use and disposal . Plastic is a relatively new material; it has only been used widely since the 1960s, so the amount and the trend of this material escaping into the natural environment globally are astonishing (Jambeck et al, 2015), producing different impacts (Galgani et al, 2019). , causing massive fish kills in aquaculture sites or natural fish populations.…”

Section: Marine Plastic Pollution: Changing Behavior and Engaging Commentioning

confidence: 99%

Moving Toward an Agenda on Ocean Health and Human Health in Europe

Borja¹,

White

Berdalet

et al. 2020

Front. Mar. Sci.

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The integrated study of ocean health and human health is an emerging area of increasing global importance. Growing evidences demonstrate that the health of the ocean and the health of humans have always been and will continue to be, inextricably linked. Our actions toward the oceans will significantly influence the future of the whole planet and, in turn, our own health. The current review of these issues arose from a summer school in San Sebastian (Spain), from 5th to 7th June, 2019. An interdisciplinary group of researchers discussed key risks (e.g., microbial pollution, pharmaceuticals, harmful algal blooms, plastic pollution) and benefits (e.g., bathing waters, recreation, tourism) of the seas and global ocean for humanity; and debated the future priorities and potential actions for a joint Oceans and Human Health research and governance programme in Europe. The aim of this review is to contribute to the emerging scientific agenda on ocean health and human health, as well as coordinate efforts with stakeholders, policy makers and the general public. This agenda operates within the larger context of the upcoming United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development: 2021-2030, which strives to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), including healthy (human) lives and well-being (SDG3) and conserving and sustainably using the oceans (SDG14), among others. In addition to summarizing some of the key risks and benefits, therefore, we describe the governance of oceans and health interactions (especially in Europe), and we finish by proposing a list of elements for potential future research priorities on oceans and human health.

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“…While our knowledge of ocean plastics is far from complete, the best available predictions suggest that with increasing mismanagement of fossil fuel-derived plastics (FFP) (Lebreton and Andrady, 2019) there will be one tonne of ocean plastic for every three tonnes of fish by 2025 (Ellen MacArthur Foundation, 2017), the equivalent of 600 plastic bags for every ten-kilogram fish. The most visible impact of marine plastic pollution is its harm to marine megafauna (Galgani et al, 2019) including turtles (Lynch, 2018;Wilcox et al, 2018), mammals (Panti et al, 2019), birds (Wilcox et al, 2015) and sharks (Parton et al, 2019), which ingest and become entangled in FFP with fatal consequences (Stelfox et al, 2016;Provencher et al, 2017). Millions of marine animals of at least 260 species die annually due to interactions with FFP (Moore, 2008;Thompson et al, 2009;Claro et al, 2019).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Eliminating Plastic Pollution: How a Voluntary Contribution From Industry Will Drive the Circular Plastics Economy

et al. 2019

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Marine plastic pollution is a symptom of an inherently wasteful linear plastic economy, costing us more than US$ 2.2 trillion per year. Of the 6.3 billion tonnes of fossil fuel-derived plastic (FFP) waste produced to date, only 9% has been recycled; the rest being incinerated (12%) or dumped into the environment (79%). FFPs take centuries to degrade, meaning five billion tonnes of increasingly fragmented and dangerous plastics have accumulated in our oceans, soil and air. Rates of FFP production and waste are growing rapidly, driven by increased demand and shifting strategies of oil and gas companies responding to slowing profit growth. Without effective recycling, the harm caused by FFP waste will keep increasing, jeopardizing first marine life and ultimately humankind. In this Perspective article, we review the global costs of plastic pollution and explain why solving this is imperative for humanity's well-being. We show that FFP pollution is far beyond a marine environmental issue: it now invades our bodies, causing disease and dysfunction, while millions of adults and children work in conditions akin to slavery, picking through our waste. We argue that an integrated economic and technical solution, catalyzed through a voluntary industry-led contribution from new FFP production, is central to arrest plastic waste flows by making used plastic a cashable commodity, incentivizing recovery and accelerating industrialization of polymerto-polymer technologies. Without much-needed systematic transformation, driven by a contribution from FFP production, humanity and the oceans face a troubling future.

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Editorial: Impacts of Marine Litter

Cited by 111 publications

References 24 publications

Impacts of Marine Litter on Mediterranean Reef Systems: From Shallow to Deep Waters

Impacts of Marine Litter on Mediterranean Reef Systems: From Shallow to Deep Waters

Moving Toward an Agenda on Ocean Health and Human Health in Europe

Eliminating Plastic Pollution: How a Voluntary Contribution From Industry Will Drive the Circular Plastics Economy

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