Abstract
Benthic marine litter along the Portuguese coast, was recorded in 14 trips on stern trawlers covering a distance of 2117km and an area of 56.2km2, average depth range 90–349m. 2034 items of marine litter were registered, 76% were plastics and 38.6% were originated from fishing related activities. Plastic was present in all the trawls and had the highest average density of all litter categories, 50itemskm−2.The highest density of marine litter (178.9±64.0itemskm−2) was found in the proximity of the Tagus river mouth, probably related to the high population density in the Lisbon metropolitan area.This study highlights the need to raise fishermen awareness for the adoption of good environmental practices that will contribute to the reduction of marine litter.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
