Floating marine debris in two pelagic ecosystems of the southwestern Atlantic off Argentina

Abstract

In 2012 and 2013, observational surveys from seismic vessels were conducted to evaluate the abundance and composition of floating marine debris (FMD) in the east of Tierra del Fuego (TDF), Argentina, and the Brazil/Malvinas Confluence zone (BMC), respectively. The mean abundance of FMD varied significantly between sampled ecosystems, with higher loads in TDF (mean abundance = 6.15 ± 8.84 items) when compared to BMC (3.31 ± 6.83 items). Plastics dominated the composition of FMD at both ecosystems (> 80%), followed by foamed plastics. Within the plastic category, bags were the most abundant item, followed by wrappers, and bottles, among others. According to its color, white/clear, and multicolor debris were the most abundant. The main presumed source of FMD was domestic activities, followed by fisheries-related, and construction. This is the first study demonstrating the utility of using seismic vessels as a platform for monitoring FMD in waters within the Argentine continental shelf and adjacent waters.