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Published on: May 18, 2019
Floating marine litter and their risks to cetaceans off Portugal
Sara Sá1, Jorge Bastos-Santos2, Hélder Araújo2
1Department of Biology & CESAM - Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal; ECOMARE, Universidade de Aveiro, Estrada do Porto de Pesca Costeira, 3830-565 Gafanha da Nazaré, Portugal.
Abstract:
Floating Dangerous Debris For Cetaceans (DDFC) and cetacean abundances were assessed by shipboard visual surveys off continental Portugal. Plastic litter (other than fishing gear) was the most abundant category, corresponding to 56.53% of the total recorded DDFC. Areas of DDFC and cetacean potential overlap suggest that cetaceans are generally exposed to DDFC at different risk levels within the study area. The highest concentration areas of DDFC and cetaceans did not overlap, whereas lower DDFC concentration areas (70% kernel probability contour) overlapped with 45% of the distribution area obtained for cetaceans. Future marine litter management measures (prevention or mitigation) should be focused on the predicted high DDFC-cetacean interaction risk area in the central region of the study. DDFC are representative of the overall floating litter distribution and future floating litter assessments could be based on DDFC categories alone.
