Marine plastics threaten giant Atlantic Marine Protected Areas

Barnes, David K. A.; Morley, Simon A.; Bell, James B.; Brewin, Paul E.; Brigden, Katie; Collins, Martin A.; Glass, Trevor; Goodall‐Copestake, William P.; Henry, Leeann; Laptikhovsky, Vladimir; Piechaud, Nils; Richardson, Andrew J.; Rose, Paul; Sands, Chester J.; Schofield, Andy; Shreeve, Rachael S.; Small, A.; Stamford, Tammy; Taylor, Beth

doi:10.1016/j.cub.2018.08.064

Cited by 87 publications

(38 citation statements)

References 8 publications

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“…Barnes et al (22) also did not determine the source of the debris threatening remote Atlantic Ocean marine ecosystems, although Monteiro et al (7) concluded that much of the debris came from offshore sources. There is no doubt that some floating debris travels long distances across ocean basins (e.g., refs.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Rapid increase in Asian bottles in the South Atlantic Ocean indicates major debris inputs from ships

Ryan

Dilley

Ronconi

et al. 2019

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

131

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Most plastic debris floating at sea is thought to come from land-based sources, but there is little direct evidence to support this assumption. Since 1984, stranded debris has been recorded along the west coast of Inaccessible Island, a remote, uninhabited island in the central South Atlantic Ocean that has a very high macrodebris load (∼5 kg·m−1). Plastic drink bottles show the fastest growth rate, increasing at 15% per year compared with 7% per year for other debris types. In 2018, we examined 2,580 plastic bottles and other containers (one-third of all debris items) that had accumulated on the coast, and a further 174 bottles that washed ashore during regular monitoring over the course of 72 d (equivalent to 800 bottles·km−1·y−1). The oldest container was a high-density polyethylene canister made in 1971, but most were polyethylene terephthalate drink bottles of recent manufacture. Of the bottles that washed up during our survey, 90% were date-stamped within 2 y of stranding. In the 1980s, two-thirds of bottles derived from South America, carried 3,000 km by the west wind drift. By 2009, Asia had surpassed South America as the major source of bottles, and by 2018, Asian bottles comprised 73% of accumulated and 83% of newly arrived bottles, with most made in China. The rapid growth in Asian debris, mainly from China, coupled with the recent manufacture of these items, indicates that ships are responsible for most of the bottles floating in the central South Atlantic Ocean, in contravention of International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships regulations.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Rapid increase in Asian bottles in the South Atlantic Ocean indicates major debris inputs from ships

Ryan

Dilley

Ronconi

et al. 2019

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

131

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“…Despite their protection status, many oceanic MPAs are highly exposed to plastic pollution (Barnes et al, ; Lavers & Bond, ). AML has been identified as a serious threat in various oceanic MPAs, including the Pitcairn Islands MPA, the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument, and others (Barnes et al, ; Blickley, Currie, & Kaufman, ; Bouwman, Evans, Cole, Choong Kwet Yive, & Kylin, ; Lavers & Bond, ; Ribic, Sheavly, & Klavitter, ). On all these islands, large amounts of AML have been found threatening the marine biodiversity.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In 2015, >857 items were found on the same beach and also traced back to high seas fisheries. Although, these values are not directly comparable, they suggest an increase in the AML accumulating on S&G Island, as has also been reported for other MPAs (Barnes et al, ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Marine protected areas invaded by floating anthropogenic litter: An example from the South Pacific

Luna‐Jorquera

Thiel

Portflitt‐Toro

et al. 2019

Aquatic Conservation

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Oceanic marine protected areas (MPAs) that are close to the litter accumulation zones in the subtropical gyres receive large amounts of plastic litter, both as micro‐ and as macroplastics. The macro‐litter accumulating on the islands in the Easter Island Ecoregion (Rapa Nui and Salas y Gómez) can be traced back to the high seas industrial fishery operating in the South Pacific. Seabirds nesting in the MPAs in the South Pacific are affected by both microplastic ingestion and macroplastic in their nests, but there was no evidence of entangled birds. Conservation of seabirds (and other species) in these oceanic MPAs requires efficient measures to reduce plastic contamination in the ocean. Observations made in the South Pacific coincide with those from other oceanic MPAs, calling for global actions.

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“…Despite small population and remoteness, pollution is a consideration. For example plastic pollution was evident on the sea surface and seabed, and there is evidence that is increasing considerably (Barnes et al, 2018b). Plastic entanglement of coral was seen, albeit only apparent in 0.5% of samples.…”

Section: Threats To Ascension Island's Biodiversity and Blue Carbonmentioning

confidence: 98%

Extremes in Benthic Ecosystem Services; Blue Carbon Natural Capital Shallower Than 1000 m in Isolated, Small, and Young Ascension Island’s EEZ

Barnes

Sands

Richardson³

et al. 2019

Front. Mar. Sci.

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Biodiversity tends to decrease with increasing isolation and reduced habitat size, and increase with habitat age. Ascension Island and its seamounts are small, isolated and relatively young, yet harbor patchily dense life. Large areas of these waters are soon to be designated as a major Marine Protected Area. Given the remote location there are few local threats to the region. However, global climate related stressors (e.g., temperature and acidification) and arguably plastic pollution are key issues likely to impact ecosystem services. We evaluate the accumulated carbon in benthos around Ascension Island's EEZ shallower than 1000 m using data collected over two research cruises in 2015 and 2017 through seabed mapping, seabed camera imagery and collections of benthos using a mini-Agassiz trawl. Benthos shallower than 1000 m essentially comprises the coastal waters around Ascension Island and three seamounts (Harris-Stewart, Grattan, and Unnamed). There is considerable societal benefit from benthic carbon storage and sequestration through its mitigation value buffering climate change. This service is often termed "blue carbon." Overall we estimate that there is at least 43,000 t of blue carbon, on the 3% of Ascension Island EEZ's seabed which is <1000 m, mainly in the form of cold coral reefs. Two thirds of that occurs around the main island of Ascension, but it is very unevenly distributed on the seabed. Seabed roughness (e.g., rocky outcrops) seems most important for the development of blue carbon hotspots. About 21% of the total blue carbon is considered to be sequestered (removed from the carbon cycle for 100+ years) = 9000 t Carbon. At the 2019 Shadow Price of Carbon the proportion of CO 2 considered sequestered is £29-59. As 9000 t C this is equivalent to 33,070 t CO 2 , which in 2019 is valued at approximately £1-2 million. With time, this increases with rising value of carbon, but also annual increment of carbon deposition, to £2-4 million by 2030. Thus even when biogeographic values of isolation, size and age are least favorable to biodiversity, the natural capital stock and future services of benthic ecosystems can be considerable and generate quantifiable economic return on their conservation.

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Marine plastics threaten giant Atlantic Marine Protected Areas

Cited by 87 publications

References 8 publications

Rapid increase in Asian bottles in the South Atlantic Ocean indicates major debris inputs from ships

Rapid increase in Asian bottles in the South Atlantic Ocean indicates major debris inputs from ships

Marine protected areas invaded by floating anthropogenic litter: An example from the South Pacific

Extremes in Benthic Ecosystem Services; Blue Carbon Natural Capital Shallower Than 1000 m in Isolated, Small, and Young Ascension Island’s EEZ

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