Litter Reduction Research Articles

What potential does the EU Single-Use Plastics Directive have for reducing plastic pollution at coastlines and riversides? An evaluation based on citizen science data

To address environmental pollution by plastic litter, the European Union adopted EU Directive 2019/904, the so called “Single-Use Plastics Directive” (SUPD), which bans several single-use plastic products and addresses additional items with measures such as extended producer responsibility and obligatory requirements for product redesign. This study assessed the potential of the SUPD to reduce litter pollution in the environment with three scenarios. The “best case” scenario assumed that all measures of the SUPD completely prevent targeted items from getting into the environment. Another scenario assumed that no measures besides bans were effective. An intermediate scenario assumed partial effectiveness of measures. Data of almost 5,000 sampling events from citizen science protocols (Plastic Pirates, International Coastal Cleanup, Marine Litter Watch) and the OSPAR protocol were used to analyse litter at riversides and coastlines in Germany and the European Union. 44 to 68% of litter items in citizen science protocols consisted of single-use plastics (cigarette butts were the most prominent items). At coastlines sampled by the OSPAR protocol, fishing gear and undefined plastics prevailed. The scenario analysis revealed that substantial litter reductions could be achieved in the “best case” scenario (upwards of 40%), while the intermediate scenario resulted in litter reductions of 13 to 25%. The marginal effect of the “only bans” scenario achieved a reduction of 2–6% in Germany and the European Union, respectively. Thus, depending on implementation and enforcement, the current SUPD can be an important first step, yet further legislative actions are needed to effectively prevent plastic waste pollution.

Litter Reduction during Beach Closure in the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Quantifying the Impact of Users on Beach Litter Generation

This study aimed to quantify marine litter before and during the COVID pandemic found on urban touristic beaches closed to beachgoer access in northeastern Brazil. Litter identification and quantification was conducted during April, June, and August 2019, when 3583 items were sampled, and replicated during the same months in 2020, when access to the beaches studied was prohibited and a significant reduction in the amount of litter was found, 1812 items (49% decrease). Transects were used to monitor and classify litter according to its source, namely: autochthonous (litter that was locally discarded) and allochthonous (litter from other sites and sources). All beaches were classified as “very clean” and presented a smaller amount of litter during the beach closure period. The highest total marine litter reduction between the periods studied was 83%, while autochthonous litter in particular showed the most significant reduction, 88%. The comparison between the quantity and type of litter found in both periods showed greater specific anthropic pressure from beach users.

Comparative analysis of fuel loads in the area affected by fire and without fire in Malinaltepec, Guerrero

Forest fires are one of the factors that contribute to climate change, among the components that form the fire triangle, fuel is theonly factor that can be manipulated. The objective of this work was to estimate the load of forest fuels in Mg ha-¹ in an area burnedin 2015 and another area without fire. For the evaluation of forest fuel, three sampling sites were established in each of the areas,the woody material was counted by delay time (1, 10, 100 and 1000 h) according to the technique of planar intersections; at the endof each line, litter (h) and mulch (m) were collected in 0.09 m². Tests were carried out to contrast the general fuel load and by typebetween ecosystems; Tukey's means comparison test was used to contrast the fuels in a given area, finally the woody material (ml),mulch (m) and litter (h) were correlated with the total load (ct), litter depth (ph) and mulch depth (ph) using Pearson correlationtests. The total fuel load was 53.10 Mg ha-¹ in the burned area, while the area without fire showed a load of 27.26 Mg ha-¹ withoutsignificant differences (p = 0.114). On the comparison of loads by delay time, the fuel of 1, 10 and 100 h showed a higher load inthe burned area, although it was not significant (p > 0.05); the analysis by component showed a higher litter load in the non-burnedarea with 12.90 Mg ha-¹ (p = 0.015) and the woody material was statistically higher in the burned area with 35.95 Mg ha-¹ (p =0.024). The correlation of variables showed an r = 0.95 between the woody material and the total load; followed by leaf litter andmulch (r = 0.80); on the contrary, the total load in the non-burned area showed a correlation with the mulch and leaf litter (r = 0.89and 0.83). The forest fire contributed to the reduction of litter and mulch but maximized the load of woody fuel.

Community efforts to monitor and manage Aedes mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) with ovitraps and litter reduction in east Tennessee

BackgroundEast Tennessee (USA) is burdened by mosquito-borne La Crosse virus disease, but minimal resources for mosquito surveillance, management, or related community education exist in the region. To address these needs, we developed a program to train middle and high school educators in basic medical entomology. The educators then used their skills in the classroom to teach students about La Crosse virus disease and conduct mosquito collection experiments. As a case study of a potential application of classroom-collected data, we also partnered with a local non-profit organization to assess the potential for a volunteer litter cleanup to reduce mosquito populations in a Tennessee neighborhood.MethodsOur first objective was to investigate the ability for educators and their students (schools) to collect high-quality mosquito surveillance data. In 2019 and 2020, we collected Aedes (Diptera: Culicidae) eggs during the same study period as schools and assessed whether data collected by schools reflected the same findings as our own data. Our second objective was to investigate the impact of a volunteer litter cleanup event on Aedes mosquito abundance. In 2021, we collected Aedes eggs before and after a neighborhood trash cleanup while schools conducted their own mosquito egg collections. Using the school collections as non-treatment sites, we used a Before-After-Control-Impact analysis to determine if there was a significant decline in egg abundance after the cleanup.ResultsIn 2019, mosquito abundance trends were similar between our data and school data but differed significantly during some weeks. After refining our protocols in 2020, school data was highly similar to our data, indicating that schools consistently collected high-quality surveillance data in the program’s second year. In 2021, we found a significant decline in Aedes egg abundance after the litter cleanup event in comparison to the schools, but the number of adults reared from those eggs did not differ between sites after the cleanup.ConclusionThe results of our work demonstrate the potential for community-driven programs to monitor mosquito abundance trends and for volunteer-based cleanup events to reduce the burden of Aedes mosquitoes. In the absence of infrastructure and resources, academic-community partnerships like the ones evaluated here, provide opportunities to help resource limited areas.

Willingness to pay for cleaning up beach litter: A meta-analysis.

At the global level, the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goal 14 calls for action to significantly reduce marine litter pollution by 2025. To understand the non-market benefits of removing marine litter, researchers have conducted numerous studies on Willingness to Pay (WTP) for reductions in beach litter. This paper estimates the overall effect size of WTP for a worldwide dataset of 63 primary studies over 22years by applying a meta-regression technique to assess the variability in WTP estimates. The results show an annual mean effect size of $US0.71 (or $US35.29) per person for a 1% (for a corresponding 50%) reduction in all types of beach litter. The observed heterogeneity is associated with WTP elicitation methods, beach attributes, geographic locations, and per-capita income. This study yields valuable information for policy makers to develop cost-effective policies and recommends standardised measurements to benchmark changes in marine litter pollution.

Soil organic matter molecular composition with long-term detrital alterations is controlled by site-specific forest properties.

Forest ecosystems are important global soil carbon (C) reservoirs, but their capacity to sequester C is susceptible to climate change factors that alter the quantity and quality of C inputs. To better understand forest soil C responses to altered C inputs, we integrated three molecular composition published data sets of soil organic matter (SOM) and soil microbial communities for mineral soils after 20 years of detrital input and removal treatments in two deciduous forests: Bousson Forest (BF), Harvard Forest (HF), and a coniferous forest: H.J. Andrews Forest (HJA). Soil C turnover times were estimated from radiocarbon measurements and compared with the molecular-level data (based on nuclear magnetic resonance and specific analysis of plant- and microbial-derived compounds) to better understand how ecosystem properties control soil C biogeochemistry and dynamics. Doubled aboveground litter additions did not increase soil C for any of the forests studied likely due to long-term soil priming. The degree of SOM decomposition was higher for bacteria-dominated sites with higher nitrogen (N) availability while lower for the N-poor coniferous forest. Litter exclusions significantly decreased soil C, increased SOM decomposition state, and led to the adaptation of the microbial communities to changes in available substrates. Finally, although aboveground litter determined soil C dynamics and its molecular composition in the coniferous forest (HJA), belowground litter appeared to be more influential in broadleaf deciduous forests (BH and HF). This synthesis demonstrates that inherent ecosystem properties regulate how soil C dynamics change with litter manipulations at the molecular-level. Across the forests studied, 20 years of litter additions did not enhance soil C content, whereas litter reductions negatively impacted soil C concentrations. These results indicate that soil C biogeochemistry at these temperate forests is highly sensitive to changes in litter deposition, which are a product of environmental change drivers.

Baseline marine litter abundance and distribution on Saint Martin Island, Bay of Bengal, Bangladesh.

Baseline marine litter abundance and distribution on Saint Martin Island, Bay of Bengal, were assessed. Seventy-two transects (100-150m) along 12km of coastline were surveyed for litter items every two weeks for two months. The most abundant items were polythene bags, food wrappers, plastic bottles/caps, straws, styrofoam, plastic cups, plastic fragments, fishing nets, clothes, and rubber buoys. Tourism, local markets, hotels, domestic waste, and fishing activities were primary sources of marine litter. According to the mean clean coast index (CCI), all transects were clean, of which 11.3% and 14.1% of sandy beaches and rocky shores with sandy beaches were reported dirty, respectively. Northern Saint Martin Island comprised sandy beaches (2.8%) and was extremely dirty. In addition, plastic abundance index (PAI) analysis showed that 24% of sites, out of 72 sites, were under "very high abundance", 33% were "high abundance", 33% showed "moderate abundance", and 4% were classified as "low abundance". Establishing baseline results of marine litter abundance and distribution on Saint Martin Island may help improve island conservation and mitigation strategies (e.g., improved waste management, beach cleaning activities to raise public awareness, local government litter reduction policies, and increase local pro-environmental behavioral change).

Fishing for Litter: From the implementation of practical actions locally, to its spin-offs and the adoption of a new legally adopted waste type at continental scale, a success story

The Fishing for Litter initiative was developed by KIMO in 2002 from a prototype project that ran in the Netherlands in 2000–1. The scheme was subsequently rolled out to other European countries and has established itself as the leading scheme for fishers to remove marine litter from the sea. The goals of the project have gained support from key stakeholders – the fishing industry, port authorities, local and national authorities. Apart from marine litter removal, the scheme provides valuable means of education and awareness-raising within the fishing industry. Additionally, it gives fishers a sense of ownership and of making a valuable contribution to the reduction of marine litter. Fishing for Litter projects are implemented by an array of organisations, from national governments to small not-for profit organisations. The scheme has developed from a small-scale grass-roots initiative to an umbrella scheme. It has played a major role in the inclusion of marine litter as a new waste category - passively fished waste (i.e. ‘waste collected in nets during fishing operations’) - under the recently adopted EU Port Reception Facilities Directive. Thus, the continued implementation and expansion of the scheme in European Coastal Member States is strongly encouraged. It has a number of spin-offs, including frameworks for the management of different types of fisheries related waste. Where an infrastructure for Fishing for Litter waste is already in place, it allows other environmental objectives to be more easily addressed. Examples are the collection of end-of-life fishing gear, net cuttings and dolly rope. Because of all its positive effects, a broad international implementation is recommended.

Influence of Litter Reduction in the Neonatal Period at Different Times after Birth on the Parameters of Brain Development in Rats.

We studied the brain of 5- and 14-day-old intact (control group) rats and rats of the same age from litters experimentally reduced on days 1 and 5 after birth (experimental groups). In animals of both experimental subgroups, the brain had morphological signs of advanced development: greater weight of the brain and hemisphere, greater thickness of the cortex, its molecular layer, lower numerical density of neurons in the anterior parietal and proper parietal lobes, greater sizes of neurons, their nuclei, and nucleoli in the neocortex of these zones, and increased concentration of RNA in the cytoplasm of neurons. These data suggest that the rate of brain development in rats can be accelerated under the influence of environmental changes that occur after litter reduction during the neonatal period at different times after birth.

Changes in litter input exert divergent effects on the soil microbial community and function in stands of different densities

Soil microbial communities influence soil biogeochemical cycling by affecting the production of extracellular enzymes and the release of carbon dioxide. Changes in litter input or stand density due to thinning can affect soil microbial communities and their function by altering soil biochemical properties. However, it is unclear how or to what extent different amounts of litter input affect soil microbial communities and their function in forest stands with different densities. Therefore, we simulated litter removal, 50 % litter reduction, normal litter input, and double litter increase under field conditions by applying different amounts of litter to soils with different stand densities in the laboratory. We then measured soil biochemical properties, microbial communities, enzyme activity, and respiration rate.Our results revealed that the responses of soil dissolved organic carbon and total nitrogen to litter input were more pronounced in the high-density forest stand with poor soil than in the low-density forest stand with nutrient-rich soil, which was mainly reflected in that the addition of litter significantly decreased the concentration of dissolved organic carbon while increasing the content of total nitrogen in the soil of the high-density forest stand. In comparison to the soil carbon component, the nitrogen component of the soil was more affected by stand density. The responses of soil fungal and bacterial communities to leaf litter treatment varied with stand density, as reflected primarily in changes in the relative abundances of Ascomycota, unclassified_K_fungi, and Proteobacteria, and changes in the relative abundances of their functional groups (ectomycorrhizal fungi, saprophytic fungi, pathogens, parasites, and bacteria involved in the nitrogen cycle). Soil fungal community responses to changes in litter input are more sensitive in the high-density forest with nutrient-poor soil than in the low-density forest stand. Furthermore, litter input inhibited the activities of soil β-glucuronidase, N-acetyl-β-d-glucosaminidase, and acid phosphatase more strongly in the low-density forest stand. Litter manipulation primarily affected enzymatic activity in the high-density forest stand by changing the diversity and composition of the soil fungal community. However, in the low-density forest stand, litter treatment affected soil enzyme activity, primarily through changes in soil bacterial and fungal community composition, as well as soil respiration through changes in bacterial richness (Chao 1) and community composition.We conclude that how the change in litter input impacts the soil microbial community and its function, or the magnitude of the effects, is largely dependent on soil quality. Relationships among soil variables, microbial communities, and function differ between stand densities. Our study contributes to an enhanced understanding of the impact of changes in litter input due to climate change or anthropogenic activities on soil biogeochemical cycles and can also guide rationally formulating forest management approaches to improve microbial function under climate change.

Bacterial Metabolic Potential in Response to Climate Warming Alters the Decomposition Process of Aquatic Plant Litter-In Shallow Lake Mesocosms.

Increased decomposition rates in shallow lakes with global warming might increase the release of atmospheric greenhouse gases, thereby producing positive feedback for global warming. However, how climate warming affects litter decomposition is still unclear in lake ecosystems. Here, we tested the effects of constant and variable warming on the bacterial metabolic potential of typically submerged macrophyte (Potamogeton crispus L.) litters during decomposition in 18 mesocosms (2500 L each). The results showed that warming reduced main chemoheterotrophic metabolic potential but promoted methylotrophy metabolism, which means that further warming may alter methane-cycling microbial metabolism. The nitrate reduction function was inhibited under warming treatments, and nitrogen fixation capability significantly increased under variable warming in summer. The changes in dissolved oxygen (DO), pH, conductivity and ammonium nitrogen driven by warming are the main environmental factors affecting the bacteria’s metabolic potential. The effects of warming and environmental factors on fermentation, nitrate reduction and ammonification capabilities in stem and leaf litter were different, and the bacterial potential in the stem litter were more strongly responsive to environmental factors. These findings suggest that warming may considerably alter bacterial metabolic potential in macrophyte litter, contributing to long-term positive feedback between the C and N cycle and climate.

Developing a method for estimation of plastic waste leaked into the ocean

The Vietnamese Government has committed to fighting against plastic waste and reducing 75% of marine plastic debris by 2030. However, the information on the actual amount of plastic waste released into the sea in Vietnam is still uncertain. Estimates of plastic waste leaks into the ocean become essential for assessing baseline data and monitoring marine plastic litter reduction. The lack of standardised methods reliably be applied worldwide due to local conditions of the waste management system is a constraint for plastic waste management. The study developed a method for simulating plastic waste flow in solid waste management system based on material flow approach, which can estimate the amount of plastic waste mismanaged and leaked into the ocean. The estimation model was applied to Quang Ninh, a famous tourist province in Vietnam. The mismanaged plastic waste accounts for 25% of total plastic waste generation and approximately 4.5% of generated plastic waste leaking into the ocean. The results of the study also indicated the source of plastic waste leakage and possible interventions for solving the problem.

Microplastic pollution at Qilianyu, the largest green sea turtle nesting grounds in the northern South China Sea.

Microplastics, new persistent pollutants, have recently attracted considerable attention. When present in beach sediments, microplastics may adversely affect the nesting and hatching of sea turtles on beaches. In this study, we investigate microplastic pollution at Qilianyu (northeastern Xisha Islands), the largest known nesting ground for green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas) in China. We found that the average abundance of microplastics in the beach surface sediments was 338.44 ± 315.69 thousand pieces·m−3 or 1,353.78 ± 853.68 pieces·m−2, with foam and fragments as the main microplastic type identified. The microplastic particles were categorised as small and were predominantly within the 0.05–1 mm size category. Most microplastic particles were white (71.31%). Polystyrene and polyethylene were found to be the most common forms of plastic present. Microplastic pollution was not only observed on the beach surface but also at the bottom of nests approximately 60 cm may be harmful to the incubation of sea turtle eggs. We suggest removing plastic litter, especially small pieces of plastic, on beaches to reduce the threat of microplastic pollution to marine life, including sea turtles. Furthermore, the foam used in aquaculture should be recovered and replaced before it becomes fragmented due to age. In addition, regional cooperation between stakeholders in the South China Sea should be strengthened to collectively promote the reduction and cleanup of marine litter.

Local waste management successfully reduces coastal plastic pollution

•Continent-wide surveys assessed changes in local waste management •An average reduction in coastal litter of 29% over 6 years was observed •Encouraging stewardship of coastal areas reduces coastal plastic litter •Economic motives to discard waste correctly linked with less plastic Regardless of where plastic pollution originates, the management interventions made at the local level are crucial to the global success of reducing plastic pollution. Reduced plastic consumption and pollution have been observed in communities with plastic taxes and educational programs. However, there is currently a lack of a quantitative framework that connects local actions to measurable reductions of plastic loads in the nearby coastal environment. Here, we explore whether changes in municipal waste management efforts corresponded to decreases in coastal plastic pollution across the continent of Australia. Our research shows that local strategies can result in large-scale benefits. We observed an average reduction in coastal litter of 29% over 6 years at the continental scale. Strategies that encouraged stewardship of coastal areas and economically motivated appropriate waste disposal were correlated with reductions in plastic pollution. This work can guide the efforts of policymakers and citizens alike to reduce plastic pollution at local, national, and global scales. Regardless of where plastic pollution originates, the management interventions made at the local level are crucial to the global success of reducing plastic pollution. Reduced plastic consumption and pollution have been observed in communities with plastic taxes and educational programs. However, there is currently a lack of a quantitative framework that connects local actions to measurable reductions of plastic loads in the nearby coastal environment. Here, we explore whether changes in municipal waste management efforts corresponded to decreases in coastal plastic pollution across the continent of Australia. Our research shows that local strategies can result in large-scale benefits. We observed an average reduction in coastal litter of 29% over 6 years at the continental scale. Strategies that encouraged stewardship of coastal areas and economically motivated appropriate waste disposal were correlated with reductions in plastic pollution. This work can guide the efforts of policymakers and citizens alike to reduce plastic pollution at local, national, and global scales.

Soil warming did not enhance leaf litter decomposition in two subtropical forests

Climate warming is expected to increase leaf litter decomposition rates. However, higher temperature may not uniformly affect the factors that influence decomposition, resulting in unexpected decomposition patterns. Over a period of two years, we studied litter decomposition in response to soil warming in a native Castanopsis kawakamii forest and a Cunninghamia lanceolata (Chinese fir) plantation. Our study aimed to determine how soil warming affects litter mass loss, extracellular enzymatic activities (EEAs), litter chemistry, and microbial biomass. In the C. kawakamii forest, soil warming caused variation in litter mass loss with time but had no net effect on the litter decomposition constant. In the Chinese fir forest, however, soil warming had a consistent negative effect on litter mass loss, leading to a significant decrease in the decomposition constant by the end of the study. Additionally, there was a significantly slower mass loss of the acid-insoluble C fraction in Chinese fir litter in response to warming. Soil warming did not affect the microbial biomass of either litter, and its effect on EEAs varied with time. Litter moisture was significantly reduced by soil warming, with a greater reduction in Chinese fir litter (−9.2%) than in C. kawakamii litter (−4.1%). Applying an ANCOVA model, we found a significant correlation between litter mass loss rate and litter moisture, but not with other litter characteristics. Our results suggest that litter drying in soil warming does not affect microbial activities or litter microbial decomposition, but may diminish the physical leaching of soluble compounds from the litter into the underlying soil horizons. This may be a mechanism that explains the soil warming effect on litter decomposition in subtropical forests.

Practical Challenges and Opportunities for Marine Plastic Litter Reduction in Manila: A Structural Equation Modeling

Land-based plastic pollution has increased to the level of an epidemic due to improper plastic waste management, attributed to plastic waste flux into the marine environment. The extant marine plastic litter (MPL) literature focuses primarily on the monitoring and assessment of the problem, but it fails to acknowledge the link between the challenges and opportunities for MPL reduction. The study aimed to examine the practical challenges and opportunities influencing the reduction of marine plastic litter in Manila in the Philippines. Data collected through an online survey from 426 barangays were analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM) and were then validated using interviews and focused group discussions. Good internal consistency (0.917) and convergent and discriminant validity were achieved. The empirical study has established structural model fit measures of RMSEA (0.021), SRMR (0.015), CFI (0.999), and TLI (0.994), with a good parsimonious fit of the chi-square/degrees of freedom ratio of 1.190. The findings revealed that environmental governance regarding waste management policies and guidelines, COVID-19 regulations for waste management, community participation, and socio-economic activities have positively affected marine plastic litter leakage and solution measures. Environmental governance significantly and partially mediates the effects of, e.g., COVID-19-related waste and socio-economic activities on MPL leakage. However, there is no relationship between the waste management infrastructure and environmental governance. The findings shed light on how to enhance environmental governance to reduce marine plastic litter and address Manila’s practical challenges.

The use of recycling bags: An overview of collection policies and a spatial assessment of bag use

An increasing number of recycling programs worldwide now use single-use high-density polyethylene (HDPE) plastic bags in conjunction with recycling bins for the storage and collection of recyclable waste. Recycling bags may increase recycling yield and lower street litter; however, they also come with potentially large environmental and economic costs, including the increased use of plastics. To assess the scale of recycling bag use, we conducted a review of municipal management policies and by-laws across Ontario, the birthplace of modern blue box programs. Over 40% of the municipalities we investigated, collectively representing more than 7 million residents, allow the collection of recycling in bags. Subsequently, we conducted a follow-up study to estimate the number of recycling bags actually used by residents, an important metric for environmental managers, in a medium-sized Ontario city that collects recyclables in both bags and bins. Across three collection dates, 9.0 ± 1.3% of households used recycling bags, with a mean of 1.65 bags per house (mean households sampled = 1540). We estimate that approximately 160 households could use over 10,000 recycling bags per year (∼380 kg of plastic). Spatial analysis on the distribution of recycling bags showed some evidence of clustering among nearby neighbours (i.e. social influence); however, these results were inconsistent and highly variable across sampling dates. Our study provides a valuable policy overview and critical baseline data for waste managers weighing the benefits (e.g., litter reduction) and drawbacks (e.g., debagging costs and plastic waste) of recycling bags for the collection of recyclable material.

A Delphi Based Approach to the Assessment of New Marine Litter Reduction and Processing Technologies

This work presents the most important aspects that should be considered for assessing new marine litter reduction and processing technologies. The most relevant technology features are highlighted using a Delphi method capable of gathering and handling a large quantity of valuable data in areas where information is lacking. This relies on judgements provided by recognized experts in a particular area of knowledge, through an organized procedure based on a structured questionnaire and its reiterations. The Delphi process developed in this study completed two rounds. In the first round, a questionnaire with 55 statements (potentially important aspects) was shared with experts and stakeholders from different types of institutions (Administrations, Marinas and Ports; Associations; Companies; Universities; and Research Centers). Appropriate statistical analysis of the responses determined the degree of consensus and the level of importance perceived for each aspect. Feedback information based on analysis of the answers provided during the first round was included in a second round of the survey that focused on the statements that did not gather enough consensus, and therefore needed to be reevaluated by the expert group. After checking the stability of the results between rounds, the conclusions are set out and a list of the aspects to be considered in different decision-making contexts is drawn (from technology development, investment to marketing and policy making) taking into account technical, environmental, socio-economic, and political issues.

A Multi-Criteria Framework for the Sustainable Management of Fisheries: a Case Study of UK’s North Sea Scottish Fisheries

In this paper, a sustainability framework with a case application for UK’s Scottish fisheries has been developed which integrates aspects related to economic growth, social development, governance, biology, environment, and logistics. Scotland is the centre of UK’s commercial fishery sector however it faces challenges such as overexploitation, and changes in the governance structure following Brexit. The contributions of this study are threefold including (i) collecting and analysing primary data gathered from a diverse group of stakeholders in the Scottish fishery sector and scientific community, (ii) prioritising a diverse range of criteria in terms of importance in decision making from industry and scientific community perspectives, (iii) elaboration of the key management objectives in this region within the context of sustainable management of fisheries in the UK.The results of this stakeholders’ survey show that the key management objectives are reductions in overexploitation of stocks, inclusive governance, increase in transparency and simplicity of policy measures, reduction in marine litter, and increase in the efficiency of vessels. The analysis also shows that the industry group places a higher importance on socio-economic objectives such as increase in profit and employment compared to the scientific group. On the other hand, the scientific group prioritised the objectives such as reducing discards, bycatch, and impact on seafloor compared to the industry group. This study provides insight for the UK’s fisheries sector, and scientific advisory groups for the enhanced implementation of sustainable fisheries management policies.

Effect of Experimental Litters Reduction during the Neonatal and Suckling? Periods of Ontogeny on Some Parameters of Brain Development in 30-Day-Old Rats.

We compared the effect of litter reduction on day 1 (series I) and day 14 after birth (series II) on the weight of the brain and right hemisphere and on the morphometric indicators of the development of the anteroparietal lobe in rats. Animals from both experimental series showed signs of acceleration (higher body weight and weights of the testes and ovaries). In series I, the weight of the brain and hemisphere and the thickness of the cortex surpassed the control values; the numerical density of neurons in layers II and V was lower and the numerical density of gliocytes was higher than in the control. The size of the neuronal nuclei of these layers as well as the size of perikaryons of layer V neurons also surpassed the control. These differences can be considered as evidence of advanced brain development in experimental animals. In contrast, gravimetric and morphometric parameters in series II did not differ significantly from the control values. Thus, the factors that determine accelerated development of the brain after reduction of litter size in the neonatal period produced no similar effect after litter reduction on day 14 after birth.