A decade of change in nets and plastic litter from fisheries off Alaska

Ten 1 km beaches on Amchitka Island, Alaska, were surveyed once annually in 1972–1974 and in 1982 to determine weights and numbers of fish-net fragments and other plastic litter items. Most litter was from Japanese and Soviet fishing vessels. Litter rapidly increased during 1972–74 (from 122 to 345...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Marine pollution bulletin 1984-01, Vol.15 (10), p.378-384
Main Author: Merrell, Theodore R.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Applied sciences
coasts
Exact sciences and technology
fisheries
litter (bedding)
Natural water pollution
nets
plastics
Pollution
Seawaters, estuaries
Water treatment and pollution
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Summary:Ten 1 km beaches on Amchitka Island, Alaska, were surveyed once annually in 1972–1974 and in 1982 to determine weights and numbers of fish-net fragments and other plastic litter items. Most litter was from Japanese and Soviet fishing vessels. Litter rapidly increased during 1972–74 (from 122 to 345 kg km −1 of beach) but decreased 26% by 1982 to 255 kg km −1. There was a 37% reduction in weight of trawl web on Amchitka beaches, and the number of gill-net floats declined 47%. The decrease in litter between 1974 and 1982, attributed to fewer trawlers and gill-netters fishing off Alaska, shows that marine litter could be rapidly reduced if disposal of litter at sea were restricted.
ISSN:0025-326X
1879-3363
DOI:10.1016/0025-326X(84)90172-3