Macro- and microplastics abundances were determined in the Adriatic Sea following the MSFD TG10 protocol. The studied areas included populated gulfs, river outlets and offshore waters in five Adriatic countries. The use of small ships enabled us to detect small sized plastics (2.5–5 cm) and record average macroplastics densities of 251 ± 601 items km−2, one order of magnitude higher than previously considered. Results from manta net tows for microplastics revealed an average abundance of 315,009 ± 568,578 items km−2 (217 ± 575 g km−2). We found significantly higher microplastics abundances in nearshore (≤4 km) than in offshore waters (>4 km) and this trend seems to affect also the small sized macro plastic fragments (2.5–5 cm). The dominant polymers were polyethylene and polypropylene while the presence of some rare polymers and waxes used in food and dentistry indicated waste water treatment plants as potential sources of microplastics.

The impact that microplastics (<5 mm) have on scleractinian coral is largely unknown. This study investigated calcification effects, size limits, and retention times of microbeads and microfibers in two Caribbean species, Montastraea cavernosa and Orbicella faveolata, in a series of three experiments. No calcification effects were seen in the two-day exposure to a microbead concentration of 30 mg L−1. M. cavernosa and O. faveolata actively ingested microbeads ranging in size from 425 μm–2.8 mm, however, a 212–250 μm size class did not elicit a feeding response. The majority of microbeads were expelled within 48 h of ingestion. There was no difference in ingestion or retention times of 425–500 μm microbeads versus 3–5 mm long microfibers. M. cavernosa and O. faveolata have the ability to recognize and reject indigestible material, yet, there is still a need to study effects of energetics and microplastic contamination as a result of ingestion and egestion.

While the California spiny lobster (Panulirus interruptus) is an important commercial and recreational fishery species in California, there is a lack of data on bioaccumulation for the species. This study examined pollutant tissue concentrations in lobsters from San Diego Bay, California. Observed lobster pollutant tissue concentrations in tail muscle were compared to State of California pollutant advisory levels. Concentrations were then used to conduct risk assessment using catch data from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.Study results found little bioaccumulation of organic pollutants in tail tissue, likely due to low observed lipids. Mercury was present, predominantly in methyl form, at concentrations above advisory levels. Recreational catch data for San Diego Bay showed increased non-cancer risk for fishers at the 90th percentile or greater of reported annual catch. Further studies should focus on non-tail tissues, as exploratory whole lobster samples (n = 2) showed elevated organic pollutants and metals.

Microplastics are ubiquitous contaminants that could harm ecosystems. Wastewater contains microplastics and may lead to further contamination of the environment. This focus article presents a summary of current knowledge on microplastics in wastewater and possible solutions, suggesting current research needs.

Abundance and spatial distribution of benthic foraminifera were used to evaluate the impacts of anthropogenic activities on sediment quality in a coastal lagoon in the Gulf of California. In 1985 and 2013, 27 samples of superficial sediments were collected. The foraminifera genera Ammonia, Cribroelphidium, Quinqueloculina and Peneroplis were dominant in both years. The abundance of Ammonia increased from 41% to 60%, while Peneroplis abundance decreased from a maximum of 50% in 1985 to 7% in 2013. The greater abundance of Ammonia and the greater spatial coverage of Ammonia and Cribroelphidium suggest a marked environmental deterioration in the quality of the sedimentary environment, which contrasts with studies of trace elements in the sediment of this lagoon. The Foram Stress Index indicates that sediment quality has deteriorated over time, likely due to the effects of anthropogenic activities around the lagoon.

To extent the understanding on microplastics in the marine environment we performed a case study at four beaches on the Isle of Rügen considering abundance and spatial distribution of microplastics in beach sediments. For the analysis, density separation via a glass elutriation column was implemented. In advance, efficiencies were tested for two polymers, being not buoyant in water. Recovery rates of 80% for PET and 72% for PVC particles in sandy samples were achieved.A median abundance of 88.10 (Q1=55.01/Q3=114.72) microplastic particles per kg dry sediment or 2862.56 (Q1=1787.34/Q3=3727.28) particles per m2 was found at the beaches on Rügen. Fibers were more abundant than fragments at all beaches. In this study, no statistically significant differences but only tendencies were determined between the beaches with different exposition and anthropogenic activity as well as for distribution patterns which showed that microplastic fragments accumulate in topographic depressions, similar to macrolitter items.

The present study reports the evaluation of snippet backscatter information gathered with a high-frequency multibeam echosounder system (200–400 kHz) due to their usability to detect ammunition of different sizes in shallow coastal waters. Besides the feasibility of the snippet backscatter data, it was focused on the attainable horizontal accuracy in comparison to side-scan sonar and autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) surveys. The data was collected in shallow coastal waters of up to 18 m water depth (Baltic Sea) close to an ammunition dumping site characterized by an almost flat seafloor covered with sand and silt sediments. The analysis of the multibeam compared to sidescan data indicates the snippet backscatter to be a promising prospective method for ammunition detection and being able to improve horizontal position accuracy of up to 0.08 m.

This paper focuses on destructive fishing practices in coastal Tanzania. I argue that the dominant conservation narrative that increased capacity and ‘political will’ for enforcement of marine protected areas (MPAs) reflects a form of spatial fetishization, in that it overemphasizes the influence of space over social behaviour. I contend that Tanzanian MPAs offer bandage solutions to underlying structural problems that are contingent upon the inconsistent availability of social and financial resources for monitoring activities. I suggest that a paradigm shift is necessary, involving the de-territorialization of marine conservation discourse in Tanzania, and a movement towards addressing the underlying social, political and economic conditions that influence marine resource use.

There are fundamental gaps in our understanding of the fates of microplastics in the ocean, which must be overcome if the severity of this pollution is to be fully assessed. The predominant pattern is high accumulation of microplastic in subtropical gyres. Using in situ measurements from the 7th Continent expedition in the North Atlantic subtropical gyre, data from satellite observations and models, we show how microplastic concentrations were up to 9.4 times higher in an anticyclonic eddy explored, compared to the cyclonic eddy. Although our sample size is small, this is the first suggestive evidence that mesoscale eddies might trap, concentrate and potentially transport microplastics. As eddies are known to congregate nutrients and organisms, this phenomenon should be considered with regards to the potential impact of plastic pollution on the ecosystem in the open ocean.

Ports are an important player in the world, due to their role in global production and distributions systems. They are major intermodal transport hubs, linking the sea to the land. For all ports, a key requirement for commercial and economic viability is to retain ships using them and to remain accessible to those ships. Ports need to find approaches to help them remain open. They must ensure their continued economic viability. At the same time, they face increasing pressure to become more environmentally and socially conscious. This paper examines the approach taken by the Port of Gävle, Sweden, which used contaminated dredged materials to create new land using principles of Circular Economy. The paper demonstrates that using Circular Economy principles can be a viable way of securing a port's future and contributing to its sustainability, and that of the city/region where it operates.