Is central Croatian Adriatic Sea under plastic attack? Preliminary results of composition, abundance and sources of marine litter on three beaches

Various anthropogenic threats negatively influence the survival of cetaceans in all world seas. Thanks to a long-running marine mammal surveillance program, we are able to report the results of a detailed analysis of the influence of cetacean-fisheries interactions and marine litter ingestion on cetacean mortality in the Croatian part of the Adriatic Sea over the last three decades. The total number of dead cetaceans was 459, and included 334 bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus), 40 striped dolphins (Stenella coeruleoalba), ten Risso’s dolphins (Grampus griseus), six Cuvier’s beaked whales (Ziphius cavirostris) and four fin whales (Balaenoptera physalus). Three hundred of them were examined postmortally. Cetacean-fisheries interaction occurred frequently in the Adriatic Sea, being detected in 96 (20.9%) of the recorded cases. Bycatch was the most abundant cetacean-fisheries interaction, with 66 (14.4%) cases recorded. Good nutritional condition and evidence of recent feeding were the most common findings recorded in bycatch cases, followed by persistent froth in the airways, edematous lungs, bruises and an amputated fluke or tail. Cetacean-fisheries interactions other than bycatch affected 30 animals and included larynx strangulations, long-term tail entanglement and fishing gear in the stomach. Ingestion of marine litter that was not related to fisheries was recorded in four animals. This study reveals the considerable negative anthropogenic influence on cetaceans in the Adriatic Sea, especially the bottlenose dolphin that is considered to be the most numerous cetacean species therein, and demonstrates the need for the urgent development of a cetacean bycatch reduction program. Finally, it also shows the importance of sustaining national surveillance programs to gain scientifically based knowledge important for cetacean protection and prospects for their long-term survival.

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Distribuzione del marine litter nelle spiagge della Sardegna: il caso di Cala dei Ponzesi e di Cala Spalmatore nell’isola dell’Asinara

Proceedings e report - Eighth International Symposium “Monitoring of Mediterranean Coastal Areas. Problems and Measurement Techniques” ◽

10.36253/978-88-5518-147-1.20 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 194-213

Author(s):

Corinne Corbau ◽

Massimo Contini ◽

Vittorio Gazale ◽

Alexandre Lazarou ◽

Umberto Simeoni ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Marine Litter ◽

Preliminary Results

The study aims to analyze and quantify compositions of marine litter along 2 beaches of Asinara Island-Italy during 3 surveys (winter’17, spring-summer‘19). Method used was based on guidelines of UNEP, JRC and DEFISHGEAR project. Preliminary results show that 1917 items were collected at Cala dei Ponzesi, while 816 were identified in 2019 surveys. 289 items were collected in 2 2019 surveys at Cala Spalmatore. It appears that plastic is the most important category of litter and plastic fragments, lolly sticks, plastic caps/lids unidentified, string and cord (<1 cm) are the most frequent debris

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Visual observations of floating macro litter around Italy (Mediterranean Sea)

Mediterranean Marine Science ◽

10.12681/mms.19054 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 20 (2) ◽

pp. 271 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

CLAUDIA CAMPANALE ◽

GIUSEPPE SUARIA ◽

GIUSEPPE BAGNUOLO ◽

MATTEO BAINI ◽

MATTEO GALLI ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mediterranean Sea ◽

Adriatic Sea ◽

Entire Study ◽

Marine Litter ◽

Italian Peninsula ◽

Visual Survey ◽

Survey Length ◽

Transect Counts ◽

Entire Study Area ◽

Ubiquitous Presence

We report the results of a visual survey of floating natural (NML) and anthropogenic (AML) macro-litter (>2.5 cm) performed in the central part of the Mediterranean Sea during a dual-use campaign onboard the Italian Navy tall ship “Amerigo Vespucci” which circumnavigated the Italian peninsula during May-June 2016. The distribution, abundance and composition of floating marine litter were assessed using a 10 m fixed-width strip transect method. Over 88 h of transect counts were performed, for a total of 168 transects, covering an overall survey length of 1026.35 km. 4756 anthropogenic litter items were counted during the transects, 96.9 % of which were classified as plastic items. Floating litter was found throughout the entire study area with densities ranging from 0 to 9205 items/km2 and with a mean abundance of 492 AML items/km2 and 77 NML items/km2 across all surveyed locations. Maximum AML densities (>3500 items/km2) were recorded in the Adriatic Sea, while the lowest densities (<50 items/km2) were found along the coastline of Sardinia and in the Strait of Messina. Our results document the ubiquitous presence of floating plastic litter around the Italian peninsula and underline the need to expand our knowledge about the main sources, transport, accumulation and fate of marine litter in the entire Mediterranean region.

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Preliminary Results of the Joint Italian-Yugoslav Research Program on the Pollution of the Adriatic Sea

Water Science & Technology ◽

10.2166/wst.1986.0100 ◽

1986 ◽

Vol 18 (9) ◽

pp. 293-302 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

D. Degobbis ◽

E. Accerboni ◽

P. Franco

Keyword(s):

Research Program ◽

Adriatic Sea ◽

Coastal Regions ◽

Joint Research ◽

Preliminary Results ◽

Physical Chemical ◽

Pollutant Concentrations ◽

Interactive Models

The research program of the “Joint Italian-Yugoslav Commission for the Protection of the Adriatic Sea and Coastal Regions from Pollution” started in 1979. To date five cruises have been conducted on a grid of 42 stations covering the open waters of the northern and middle Adriatic, and basic physical, chemical, biological and sedimentological characteristics, as well as specific pollutant concentrations, were established and monitored (75 parameters in all). Other activities, undertaken as subprojects, were the development of computerized banks for the collected data and relevant bibliography, and the ełaboration of hydrodynamical and interactive models. The preliminary results are summarized and discussed in the light of the objectives of the joint research.

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