Plastic ingestion by harbour seals (Phoca vitulina) in The Netherlands

• Published in: Marine pollution bulletin 2013-02, Vol.67 (1-2), p.200-202
• Main Authors: Bravo Rebolledo, Elisa L., Van Franeker, Jan A., Jansen, Okka E., Brasseur, Sophie M.J.M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animal and plant ecology; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Animals; Applied ecology; Biological and medical sciences; Eating; Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution; Environmental Monitoring; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Good Environmental Status (GES); Harbors; Harbours; Incidence; Ingestion; Intestines; Male; Mammalia; Marine; Marine and brackish environment; Marine debris; Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD); Monitoring; Netherlands; Phoca - metabolism; Phoca vitulina; Plastic ingestion; plastics; Plastics - analysis; Plastics - metabolism; Sea water ecosystems; Seals; Stomach; Synecology; Vertebrates: general zoology, morphology, phylogeny, systematics, cytogenetics, geographical distribution; Waste Products - analysis; Waste Products - statistics & numerical data; Water Pollutants, Chemical - analysis; Water Pollutants, Chemical - metabolism; water pollution
• ISSN: 0025-326X; 1879-3363
• DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2012.11.035

► Harbour seals from the Netherlands were examined for ingested debris. ► Combined for stomachs plus intestines, 12.2% of 107 seals had ingested plastic. ► The observed level of plastic ingestion is of environmental concern. ► Dutch seals live in a relatively polluted area. ► This indicates that incidence may be too low for EU regional monitoring. Abundance of ingested debris by seals has been mentioned as a potential indicator of marine litter in the European Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD). A sample of 107 stomachs, 100 intestines and 125 scats of harbour seals from the Netherlands was analysed for the presence of plastics. Incidence of plastic was 11% for stomachs, 1% for intestines, and 0% for scats. Younger animals, up to 3years of age, were most affected. This is the first quantitative study of plastic ingestion by phocid seals. The observed level of incidence is of environmental concern, but is low in the sense of suitability of seals for MSFD monitoring purposes.