Potential microplastics impacts on African fishing resources

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Marine Biology
• Ecotoxicology

Background:

• Microplastic (MP) pollution is a growing global concern, posing significant threats to aquatic ecosystems and fauna.
• Developing nations face critical challenges due to inadequate waste management and reliance on marine resources for food security.
• The extent of MP-induced threats to African aquatic resources remains largely unknown.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the significance of microplastic pollution on African fishing resources.
• To identify key research areas and regions most affected by MP contamination.
• To highlight data gaps in MP pollution research within African aquatic environments.

Main Methods:

• Creation of a novel meta-database from 156 published studies, analyzing over 6200 individuals from African and adjacent waters.
• Application of research landscape and rank analyses to identify primary research targets and affected fishing resources.
• Network analysis of relevant terms to understand regional research focuses and concerns.

Main Results:

• Microplastic contamination is notably higher in fishing resources from Nile countries, the Gulf of Guinea, and Tunisia.
• Highly exploited fish species are among the most polluted, indicating a substantial threat to valuable fisheries.
• Significant geographic data gaps exist, particularly for freshwater environments and East African coastlines.

Conclusions:

• Microplastic pollution poses a considerable threat to vital African fishing resources, especially in heavily exploited species.
• There is a critical need to expand research coverage on MP pollution in African aquatic fauna, particularly in understudied regions.
• Improved plastic waste management strategies are essential for the African continent to mitigate MP pollution impacts.