PHOTO BY: Boštjan Mljač

WP4: Marine litter assessment in the AdriaticWP4: Marine litter assessment in the AdriaticDefining a monitoring & assessment strategy for macro‐litter

Thomais Vlachogianni | Phd Env ChemThomais Vlachogianni | Phd Env ChemMIO‐ECSDE Programme Officer

DeFishGear WP4 LeaderM b f th MSFD TSG 10Member of the MSFD TSG 10

Member of the CORMON Group

Building blocks of the proposed monitoring and assessment strategy for marine litter in the Adriatic Seaassessment strategy for marine litter in the Adriatic Sea 

The “Guidance Document on Monitoring of MarineLitter in European Seas” developed in 2013 by the EULitter in European Seas , developed in 2013 by the EUMSFD Technical Sub‐Group on Marine Litter.

The draft Monitoring Guidance Document on EcologicalObjective 10: Marine Litter prepared by UNEP/MAPObjective 10: Marine Litter, prepared by UNEP/MAPMEDPOL in April 2014.

Key elements of the proposed strategy

General Marine Litter• Aim & objectives of monitoring• Quality assessment & control approach• Site selection strategy

General Marine Litter Monitoring Approach, 

addressing key aspects related to the gy

• Data handling & reportingaspects related to the MSFD and the ECAP 

requirements

• Survey design (selection of survey sites, number of sites, etc.)

Monitoring of beach number of sites, etc.)

• Sampling methodology/protocol• Sample processing methodology• Data analysis

litter, floating litter, benthic litter, litter in 

biota and • Key considerationsmicroplastics

Objectives of the DeFishGear monitoring and assessment strategygy

To provide a comprehensive, coherent andp p ,transparent characterization and analysis of themarine litter problem (including socio‐economic

)aspects) in the Adriatic;

To pave the way for the adoption of a coordinatedand harmonized approach in terms of marine littermonitoring;

To provide recommendations related to policyoptions in meeting regional and nationalobjectives regarding marine litter (MSFD ECAP)objectives regarding marine litter (MSFD, ECAP);

Overview of selected monitoring protocols to be applied with the scope of the DeFishGear project for macro‐litter p p j

Environ.matrice

Method/protocol

Level of maturity

Technicalrequir.

Expertise needed

Beach Visual/collection HIGH LOW LOW/

MEDIUM

LOW/Floating Visual HIGH LOW LOW/MEDIUM

Sea floor Diving MEDIUM MEDIUM MEDIUMSea‐floor Diving MEDIUM MEDIUM MEDIUM

Sea‐floor Bottom‐trawling MEDIUM/HIGH

LOW/MEDIUM

LOW/MEDIUMHIGH MEDIUM MEDIUM

Biota Fish(ingestion) LOW MEDIUM/

HIGHMEDIUM/HIGH

Biota Turtles(ingestion)

MEDIUM/LOW LOW MEDIUM

EntanglementBiota

Entanglement(Beachedanimals)

LOW LOW MEDIUM

Quality assessment & control approach

It is important that the data generated is of acceptableIt is important that the data generated is of acceptable quality!

To ensure that:

Capacity‐building activities for all partners involved in the monitoring surveys will take place;

A standard list of marine litter items will be used A standard list of marine litter items will be used (proposed master‐list);

An appropriate monitoring guide/handbook will be pp p g g /developed. 

Site selection strategy

A ‘stratified randomized sampling strategy’A  stratified randomized sampling strategyis proposed to be applied, where sites meeting certain 

criteria are (more or less) randomly chosen.( ) y

DeFishGear selected sites are situated:

In the vicinity of ports or harbours; In the vicinity of river mouths; In the vicinity of river mouths; In the vicinity of coastal urban areas; In the vicinity of tourists destinations;y ; In relatively remote areas.

Modeling marine debris movement and transport in the Adriatic sea

The numerical methodology relies ona three‐stage process:

• The input data of relevant Oceanographic and 

(1)Atmospheric Eulerian models are  prepared;

• The outputs of the Adriatic Forecasting System and European Centre for Medium‐Range Weather Forecasts models are utilized as input to the Lagrangian model in 

(2) order to generate the trajectories and the distribution patterns of the marine litter

(3)

• The hazard‐mapping algorithm is employed to obtain the hotspots of the marine litter in the Adriatic Sea.(3) p

Data handling & reporting approach

Raw (and/or slightly processed) data acquired through Raw (and/or slightly processed) data acquired throughthe monitoring surveys will be collected by WP4 &WP5leaders through appropriately developed templates;g pp p y p p ;

The development of reporting sheets which will capturethe interpreted information is also foreseen (the usage ofthe reporting sheets on marine litter being developed bythe ARCADIS led project on MED support to the MSFDimplementation is been explored);implementation is been explored);

The development of a data/info collation system hasbeen foreseen (GIS database).( )

Monitoring of beach litterMonitoring of beach litter

@ Thomais Vlachogianni

H2020 CB/MEP training activity on beach litter monitoring, 

Gothenburg 2012Gothenburg 2012

@ Varvara Vasilaki

Monitoring of beach litter

Selection of survey sitesSelection of survey sites

Having a minimum length of 100 m; Low to moderate slope; Low to moderate slope; Clear access to sea; Accessible to survey teams throughout the year; Id ll h i h ld b bj l i Ideally the site should not be subject to cleaning

activities; Survey activities posing no threat to endangered or

protected species.

& i i fFrequency: 4 surveys/year (minimum)Surveys timing:

Frequency & timing of surveys

Surveys timing: Autumn: mid Sep‐mid Oct Winter: mid Dec‐mid Jan S i A Spring: Apr Summer: mid Jun‐mid Jul

Monitoring of beach litter

Number of sites Albania (2) Bosnia & Herzegovina (2) Bosnia & Herzegovina (2) Croatia (3) Italy (10+3)y ( ) Greece (3+5) Montenegro (2) Slovenia (2)

Sampling units At least 2 sections of 100m on the 

same beach for lightly to moderately littered beaches;

At l t 2 ti f 50 f At least 2 sections of 50m for heavily polluted beaches.

Monitoring of beach litterCollection & identification of litter itemsCollection & identification of litter items

According to the ‘Master List’,which consists of a set of over 200 itemswhich consists of a set of over 200 items

The ‘Master List’ was developed based on the categories ofitems used in a series of other programmes:Beach litter: UNEP, OSPAR, ICC, SloveniaFloating litter: HELMEPA, NOAA, ECOOCEANoat g tte : , O , COOCFor seabed: OSPAR/ICES & HELMEPAFor micro‐litter: CEFAS WP5

Size limits & classes of items to be surveyed The are no upper size limits A l li i f 2 5 i h l di i A lower limit of 2.5 cm in the longest dimension Plastic pellets (~0.5cm) will be collected separately

Monitoring of floating litterMonitoring of floating litter

Photo credit: http://assets.inhabitat.com

Monitoring of floating litterMonitoring of floating litter

Spatial distribution of survey sitesGiven the fact that there is very little information on floating litter in the Adriatic Sea, surveys will be carried out in different areas in order to understand the variability of litter distributiondistribution.The selected areas include: Low density areas (e.g. open sea)

WP5y ( g p )

High density areas (e.g. close to ports) Other selected areas, in the vicinity of cities, touristic 

ff h b l d d

WP5

traffic, etc. have been included.

Timing of floating litter surveysTiming of floating litter surveysAfter a minimum duration of calm sea, so as no bias by litter items, which have been mixed into the water column by yrecent sea storms.

Monitoring of floating litterMonitoring of floating litter

Material and item categoriesThe list  of item categories adopted for floating litter corresponds to the ‘Master List’.Master List .

Size categoriesIn the size range of 2 5cm to 50 cmIn the size range of 2.5cm to 50 cm.

Observation considerations Id l l ti f b ti th b Ideal location for observation the bow area; Observations to be made by dedicated observer; Typical transect width ~10 m [f (observation height, ship speed)] Transect lengths to be selected in such way that correspond to ~ 1h.

Data & metadata reporting Items/km2

Coordinates Wind speed (m/s)p ( / )

Monitoring of  litter on the seafloorMonitoring of  litter on the seafloor

@ Steve Spring/Marine Photobank

Monitoring of benthic litter | Protocol for SeaMonitoring of benthic litter | Protocol for Sea‐‐floor floor (20(20‐‐800m)800m)(20(20 800m)800m)

Spatial distribution of survey sites

Restrictions:in rocky areas & soft sediments (as the method may underestimatein rocky areas & soft sediments (as the method may underestimate the quantities present) 

Sit l ti it iSites selection criteria:  Areas with uniform substrate (ideally sand/silt bottom) Areas that might  accumulate litterg Avoid areas of risk (presence of munitions), sensitive or protected 

areas

Timing/frequency of  surveysMinimum frequency: annuallyIdeal frequency: on a quarterly basis, however due to budgetary

constraints surveys is proposed to be performed biannually

Monitoring of benthic litterMonitoring of benthic litter

The protocol for sampling and trawling margins (20‐800m) has been standardized for each region800m) has been standardized for each region 

(MEDITS Protocol)

Material and item categoriesThe list  of item categories adopted for benthic litter corresponds to the ‘Master List’.

Data & metadata reportingData & metadata reporting Items/ha or Items/km2

Coordinates Speed (m/s) Sampled area (ha or /km2) h ( ) Depth (m)

Monitoring of benthic litter | Protocol for SeaMonitoring of benthic litter | Protocol for Sea‐‐floor floor (<20m)(<20m)(<20m)(<20m) Frequency of  surveysMinimum frequency: annuallyIdeal frequency: on a quarterly basisIdeal frequency: on a quarterly basis

Transects length & widthDebris Density Environmental

ConditionsSampling Unit(length x width)

0 1 – 1 items / m2 Low turbidity & high 20 m x 4 m0.1  1 items / m Low turbidity & high habitat complexity

20 m x 4 m

0.1 – 1 items / m2 High turbidity  20 m x 4 m

0.01 – 0.1 items / m2 In every case  100 m x 8 m

< 0.01 items / m2 In every case  200 m x 8 m

Line transects are defined with a nylon line, marked every 5 meters  with resistant paint.

Size categoriesIn the size range of >2.5cm.

Monitoring of litter in biota Monitoring of litter in biota 

@ Steve Spring/Marine Photobank© K i ti Nil /M i Ph t b k@ Steve Spring/Marine Photobank© Kristin Nilsen/Marine Photobank

Monitoring of litter in biota| Protocol for litter Monitoring of litter in biota| Protocol for litter ingestion by fishingestion by fishingestion by fishingestion by fish

Related marine compartmentsPelagic & benthic feeding fish species  addressing litter in the water 

column and the seafloor 

Parameters recordedParameters recorded Location Trawl/fishery type Species Length AgeAge Sex Visible deformations and skin condition

Sample sizeAt least 50 specimens per species and age group is recommendedp p p g g p

Monitoring of litter in biota| Protocol for litter Monitoring of litter in biota| Protocol for litter ingestion by fishingestion by fishingestion by fishingestion by fish

Chemical treatment of stomachs10% KOH H O bi WP510% KOH or H2O2 at ambient temperature

Macro‐ vs micro litter

WP5

An 1mm sieve is used to separate micro‐litter with dimensions smaller than 1mm and the fraction passing the sieve may then be used for 

micro litter analysismicro‐litter analysis.

Data reportedIncidence (% investigated stomachs containing litter)

Abundance by number (average number of items per individual)Abundance by mass (weight in grams)Abundance by mass (weight in grams)

Monitoring of litter in biota| Turtles protocol?Monitoring of litter in biota| Turtles protocol?

The potential will be explored (at l i G & Sl i )least in Greece & Slovenia) to 

collaborate with NGOs working for the protection of turtles to utilize p

opportunities to analyze the stomach contents of stranded 

turtles found deadturtles found dead…

© Greenpeace/Carè/Marine Photobank

WP4 Team MIO‐ECSDE (FB12) Lead Partner

National Institute of Chemistry, Slovenia (LB)National Institute of Chemistry, Slovenia (LB) 

ISPRA

ARPA Emilio‐Romagna (FB4) (FB1)

Institute for Water of the Republic of Slovenia(FB5)

Institute for Oceanography & Fisheries, Croatia (FB7)

Hydro‐Engineering Institute, BiHHydro Engineering Institute, BiH

University of Montenegro, Institute of marine biology (FB9)

Agricultural University of Tirana Laboratory ofAgricultural University of Tirana, Laboratory of Fisheries and Aquaculture (FB10)

Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, Greece (FB13)

Euro‐Mediterranean Center on Climate Change (FB15)

PHOTO BY: Boštjan Mljač

Thank you!

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PHOTO BY: Boštjan Mljač