Monitoring floating microlitter in offshore waters by manta-trawl (collaboration with iFADO project)

Floating marine litter is a recurrent pollutant in the Atlantic and worldwide oceans which has attracted increasing attention in the latest years. Meso- and microplastics derived from industrial pellets or through debris degradation have been also reported in surface and subsurface water samples from Atlantic coast and high-seas. The need of microplastic monitoring and assessment in EU countries and the Atlantic Area calls for the establishment of standardized sampling protocols and methods. In this work, the application of manta-trawl for micro-litter monitoring in coastal and offshore waters of the Galician coast (NW Spain) was assessed. The results obtained in this work suggest a moderate micro-litter density in both coastal and offshore stations. Also, manta-trawl was proved to be a feasible tool for surface and subsurface meso and micro-litter collection

Optimized protocol and template for monitoring floating macrolitter by scientific observers onboard research vessels

In 2007 the Spanish Institute of Oceanography (IEO) established for the first time the group of Apex Predators (marine mammals, seabirds and turtles) observers during a campaign to evaluate pelagic fisheries in the Bay of Biscay (PELACUS 07). This campaign was performed onboard the RV Thalassa, where researchers from the University of La Rochelle carried out the campaign PELGAS, which included apex predator surveys too. Therefore, the same protocol used by French researchers was applied for PELACUS with the aim of facilitating data collection and sharing. This protocol was also adopted by the Spanish research institute AZTI during their campaigns JUVENA and BIOMAN. Since then floating macro litter was incorporated also to the list of observations to be reported by observers to optimize marine debris surveys and allow for an estimation of its density. In the frame of the CleanAtlantic project (Tackling marine litter in the Atlantic Area) the protocol and templates used for recording floating litter were further adapted and improved so that they could be used as a common tool for any observer regardless the specificities of R/V and institutions, and also to facilitate the work of the observers. Thus, the optimized and English-translated protocols and datasheets for apex predators and marine litter recording are presented in the next sections. This work was carried out under the Work Package 5.2, whose final aim is to reinforce and support the monitoring of marine litter in the framework of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD)

Overview of the marine litter status in the Atlantic Area: floating litter

CleanAtlantic is an INTERREG Atlantic Area Programme project that aimed at protecting biodiversity and ecosystem services in the Atlantic Area by improving capabilities to monitor, prevent and remove (macro) marine litter. Besides, the project also contributed to raise awareness and change attitudes among stakeholders and to improve marine litter managing systems. To achieve these aims, the work was organised in 8 work packages. The present deliverable aims at synthesizing the main results achieved on the frame of the action 1 of work package 4, which focused on the Regional characterisation of marine litter in the Atlantic Area. More specifically, this report deals with the assessment of the floating litter data available in this area. Additionally, the major key findings, gaps on monitoring and research as well as potential improvements and recommendations are identified

Overview of the work carried out in CleanAtlantic on improving marine litter monitoring: • WP 5.2.1. – Improving methods for marine litter monitoring in the Atlantic Area: seabed, floating and coastal litter • WP 5.2.2. – New tools for the monitoring of marine litter

This report collates the main results delivered in the frame of the CleanAtlantic project, Work package 5.2. Monitoring the presence of marine litter in the marine environment. With this purpose, an overview of new and improved marine litter monitoring methods for seabed, water surface and coastal compartments in the Atlantic Area is presented. Main findings, gaps on monitoring and research as well as potential improvements and recommendations are highlighted. For some of the topics addressed partners produced fully-dedicated reports. In these cases, links to the original reports are included in the reference section for further information

Overview of the marine litter status in the Atlantic Area: beach, floating and seabed litter

CleanAtlantic is an INTERREG Atlantic Area Programme project that aimed at protecting biodiversity and ecosystem services in the Atlantic Area by improving capabilities to monitor, prevent and remove (macro) marine litter. Besides, the project also contributed to raise awareness and change attitudes among stakeholders and to improve marine litter managing systems. To achieve these aims, the work was organised in 8 work packages. The present deliverable aims at synthesizing the main results obtained on the frame of the action 1 of work package 4, which focused on the Regional characterisation of marine litter in the Atlantic Area. With this purpose, an overview of marine litter status in beach, floating and seabed compartments in the Atlantic Area is presented. Additionally, the major key findings, gaps on monitoring and research as well as potential improvements and recommendations are identified. Links to the complete dedicated reports for each compartment are included in the references section. Also, an interactive map for spatial visualization of data on beach, floating and seabed litter composition and abundance in the Atlantic Area was created and is presented at the end of this report

Paralytic and Amnesic Shellfish Toxins Impacts on Seabirds, Analyses and Management

Marine biotoxins have been frequently implicated in morbidity and mortality events in numerous species of birds worldwide. Nevertheless, their effects on seabirds have often been overlooked and the associated ecological impact has not been extensively studied. On top of that, the number of published studies confirming by analyses the presence of marine biotoxins from harmful algal blooms (HABs) in seabirds, although having increased in recent years, is still quite low. This review compiles information on studies evidencing the impact of HAB toxins on marine birds, with a special focus on the effects of paralytic and amnesic shellfish toxins (PSTs and ASTs). It is mainly centered on studies in which the presence of PSTs and/or ASTs in seabird samples was demonstrated through analyses. The analytical techniques commonly employed, the tissues selected and the adjustments done in protocols for processing seabird matrixes are summarized. Other topics covered include the role of different vectors in the seabird intoxications, information on clinical signs in birds affected by PSTs and ASTs, and multifactorial causes which could aggravate the syndromes. Close collaboration between seabird experts and marine biotoxins researchers is needed to identify and report the potential involvement of HABs and their toxins in the mortality events. Future studies on the PSTs and ASTs pharmacodynamics, together with the establishment of lethal doses in various seabird species, are also necessary. These studies would aid in the selection of the target organs for toxins analyses and in the postmortem intoxication diagnosesEn prens

Microplastic occurrence in deep-sea fish species Alepocephalus bairdii and Coryphaenoides rupestris from the Porcupine Bank (North Atlantic)

Microplastic occurrence in marine biota has been reported in a wide range of animals, from marine mammals and seabirds to invertebrates. Commercial and shallow-water fish have been the subject of numerous works on microplastic ingestion, given their importance in human diet and accessibility. However, little is known about microlitter occurrence in fish species inhabiting the dark ocean, in the bathyal zone and there is a high degree of uncertainty about microplastic distribution in offshore areas and the deep sea. In this study, bathydemersal species Alepocephalus bairdii and Coryphaenoides rupestris from the Porcupine Bank caught between 985 and 1037 m depth were inspected for microdebris. The stomach contents were digested by the alkaline method plus ethanol addition to avoid clogging. A filament of Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) was found in the stomach of a specimen of A. bairdii, representing 4% of the total sampled specimens of this species (i.e. prevalence in n = 25). However, when considering potential microplastics, the prevalence increased to 28% in both, A. bairdii and C. rupestris. This work provides the first baseline study of microplastic items in fish from such depths in the Atlantic and suggests these species might be used as biomonitors in future research.Versión del editor3,25