The offshore wind power industry is relatively new but increasing globally, hence it is important that the whole life-cycle is managed. The construction–operation–decommissioning cycle is likely to take 20–30years and whilst decommissioning may not be undertaken for many years, its management needs to be addressed in both current and future marine management regimes. This can be defined within a Drivers–Activities–Pressures–State Changes–Impacts (on human Welfare)–Responses framework. This paper considers the main decommissioning options – partial or complete removal of all components. A SWOT analysis shows environmental and economic benefits in partial as opposed to complete removal, especially if habitat created on the structures has conservation or commercial value. Benefits (and repercussions) are defined in terms of losses and gains of ecosystem services and societal benefits. The legal precedents and repercussions of both options are considered in terms of the 10-tenets of sustainable marine management. Finally a ‘renewables-to-reefs’ programme is proposed.

A field experiment in the waters off the south-eastern coast of Cyprus was carried out to study near-field formation of sediment plumes from dumping. Different loads of sediment were poured into calm and limpid waters one at the time from just above the sea surface. The associated plumes, gravitating towards the seafloor, were filmed simultaneously by four divers situated at different depths in the water column, and facing the plume at different angles. The processes were captured using GoPro-Hero-series cameras. The high-quality underwater footage from near-surface, mid-depth and near-bed positions gives unique insight into the dynamics of the descending plume and near-field dispersion processes, and enables good understanding of flow and sediment transport processes involved from-release-to-deposition of the load in a non-scaled environment. The high resolution images and footages are available through the link provided herein. Observations support the development of a detailed multi-fractional sediment plume model.

The use of shellfish aquaculture for nutrient removal and reduction of coastal eutrophication has been proposed. Published literature has indicated that nitrogen contained in harvested shellfish can be accurately estimated from shell length:nitrogen content ratios. The range of nitrogen that could be removed by a typical farm in a specific estuarine or coastal setting is also of interest to regulators and planners. Farm Aquaculture Resource Management (FARM) model outputs of nitrogen removal at the shellfish farm scale have been summarized here, from 14 locations in 9 countries across 4 continents. Modeled nitrogen removal ranged from 105lbsacre−1year−1 (12gm−2year−1) to 1356lbsacre−1year−1 (152gm−2year−1). Mean nitrogen removal was 520lbsacre−1year−1 (58gm−2year−1). These model results are site-specific in nature, but compare favorably to reported nitrogen removal effectiveness of agricultural best management practices and stormwater control measures.

Sediment and Mytilus galloprovincialis samples collected from the Port Elizabeth Harbour were analysed for six indicator PCB congeners to assess their contamination status. The concentrations of total PCBs in sediments and M. galloprovincialis ranged from 0.56 to 2.35ng/g dry weight and 14.48 to 21.37ng/g wet weight, respectively. Congeners 138 and 153 were dominant and accounted for an average of 29% and 24% of total PCBs in M. galloprovincialis; 32% and 30% in sediments, respectively. Sediments are home to a wide variety of aquatic life. None of the sediments analysed exceeded the PCB limits recommended the Canadian interim sediment quality guideline and the South African recommended sediment guidelines (21.6ng/g). Both humans and aquatic life are sensitive to the toxic effects of PCBs.

The chemical contamination (organic compounds, metals, radionuclides, microplastics, nutrients) of English Channel waters has been reviewed, focussing on the sources, concentrations and impacts. River loads were only reliable for Pb, whereas atmospheric loads appeared robust for Cd, Pb, Hg, PCB-153 and γ-HCH. Temporal trends in atmospheric inputs were decreasing. Contaminant concentrations in biota were relatively constant or decreasing, but not for Cd, Hg and HBCDD, and deleterious impacts on fish and copepods were reported. However, data on ecotoxicological effects were generally sparse for legacy and emerging contaminants. Intercomparison of activity concentrations of artificial radionuclides in sediments and biota on both Channel coasts was hindered by differences in methodological approaches. Riverine phosphate loads decreased with time, while nitrate loads remained uniform. Increased biomass of algae, attributable to terrestrial inputs of nutrients, has affected benthic production and shellfisheries. A strategic approach to the identification of contaminant impacts on marine biota is recommended.

A fire at the Brazilian Antarctic Station on February 25th, 2012 led to the burning of material that produced organic pollutants. To evaluate the impact in the surrounding area, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and persistent organic pollutants (POPs) were analyzed in moss samples collected in the vicinities of the station before and after the incident and compared to findings from previous studies in the same region. PCBs were on the same magnitude as that reported in previous studies, which could be associated to the global dispersion of these compounds and may not be related to the local fire. In contrast, concentrations of HCB and PAHs were higher than those reported in previous studies. No PBDEs were found above the method detection limit. Organic contaminant concentrations in mosses decreased a few months after the fire, which is an important characteristic when considering the use of mosses for monitoring recent exposure.

In this study, the occurrence and spatial distribution of 38 antibiotics in surface water and sediment samples of the Hailing Bay region, South China Sea, were investigated. Twenty-one, 16 and 15 of 38 antibiotics were detected with the concentrations ranging from <0.08 (clarithromycin) to 15,163ng/L (oxytetracycline), 2.12 (methacycline) to 1318ng/L (erythromycin–H2O), <1.95 (ciprofloxacin) to 184ng/g (chlortetracycline) in the seawater, discharged effluent and sediment samples, respectively. The concentrations of antibiotics in the water phase were correlated positively with chemical oxygen demand and nitrate. The source analysis indicated that untreated domestic sewage was the primary source of antibiotics in the study region. Fluoroquinolones showed strong sorption capacity onto sediments due to their high pseudo-partitioning coefficients. Risk assessment indicated that oxytetracycline, norfloxacin and erythromycin–H2O posed high risks to aquatic organisms.

Unusual peaks in turbidity were detected in two branches of the Whittard Canyon in June 2013. Enhanced nepheloid layers (ENLs) were defined as layers with concentrations of suspended particulate matter exceeding those of nepheloid layers typically observed in a given region. Here, ENLs had peaks in turbidity and elevated suspended particulate matter concentrations exceeding ~1mgL−1 with the largest ENLs measuring between ~2–8mgL−1. The ENLs measured ~100–260m in vertical height and were detected in water depths of between 640 and 2880m. Vessel Monitoring System data showed that high spatial and temporal activity of potential bottom trawling vessels coincided with the occurrence of the ENLs. Molar C/N ratios of the suspended organic material from the ENLs showed a high degree of degradation. Regular occurrences of such events are likely to have implications for increased sediment fluxes, burial of organic carbon and alteration of benthic and canyon ecosystems.

This study provides information on baseline concentrations of the radionuclides Cesium-137, Potassium-40 and Polonium-210 in sea mammals from the Baltic Sea. The radionuclides were analyzed in the liver, kidney and muscle of harbor porpoises, striped dolphins, and gray and ringed seals from the Polish coast by γ- and α-spectrometry. Median 137Cs activities were 14.8, 13.2 and 23.2Bqkg−1 w.w. in the liver, kidney and muscles, respectively. Activities of 40K and 210Po in the respective tissues were found to be 79.1, 79.8 and 111Bqkg−1 for 40K and 58.1, 59.2 and 32.9Bqkg−1 for 210Po. The measured 137Cs concentrations were extraordinarily high in comparison to those reported in sea mammals from other locations. However, dose assessments did not imply health effects from 137Cs exposure in Baltic Sea mammals. Correlations between 137Cs tissue activities and reported sea water concentrations highlight the potential use of marine mammals for biomonitoring purposes.

Analyses of marine alien species based on national/regional datasets are of paramount importance for the success of regulation on the prevention and management of invasive alien species. Yet in the extant data systems the criteria for the inclusion of records are seldom explicit, and frequently inconsistent in their definitions, spatial and temporal frames and comprehensiveness. Agreed-upon uniform guiding principles, based on solid and transparent scientific criteria, are therefore required in order to provide policy makers with validated and comparable data. Following a meta-analysis on the records of marine alien species in the Mediterranean Sea, we recommend a judicious approach to compiling the data. Here, three categories of uncertainty were identified: species' taxonomic identification, species' actual occurrence in the area, and its status as an alien. In proposing guiding principles to standardize such datasets, we aim to encourage discourse on logical, standardized and transparent criteria to substantiate records of alien species.