94
current environmental status, (2) the determination of good environmental status, (3) the establishment of environmental targets and
associated indicators, (4) the establishment and
implementation of a monitoring programme,
(5) the development of a programme of measures and (6) the entry into operation of this
programme of measures.
Periodic assessments of the state of the marine
environment, monitoring and the formulation of
environmental targets are perceived as part of the
continuous management process. Accordingly,
provisions are made for the modifi cation of
adopted marine strategies and measures.
Of the 11 descriptors listed in Annex I of the
MSFD for determining GES, Descriptor 10 has
been defi ned as “Properties and quantities of
marine litter do not cause harm to the coastal and
marine environment”. Commission Decision
2010/477/EU identifi es the following criteria and
associated four indicators for Descriptor 10:
1. Trends in the amount of litter washed ashore
and/or deposited on coastlines, including
analysis of its composition, spatial distribution and, where possible, source (indicator
10.1.1)
2. Trends in the amount of litter in the water column (including fl oating at the surface) and
deposited on the seafl oor, including analysis
of its composition, spatial distribution and,
where possible, source (indicator 10.1.2)
3. Trends in the amount, distribution and, where
possible, composition of microparticles (in
particular microplastics) (indicator 10.1.3)
4. Trends in the amount and composition of litter
ingested by marine animals (e.g. stomach
analysis) (indicator 10.2.1)
Human pressures on the oceans have increased
substantially in recent decades and coastal and
marine human activities generate considerable
quantities of waste. Much of this litter will persist
in the sea for years, decades or even centuries.
The occurrence of litter has been demonstrated
worldwide, in oceanic gyres, on shorelines, in
sediments and in the deep sea. Europe is on one
of the main affected area. To follow these specifi c
issues, the European Marine Directors and DG
environment established a technical group under
the Working Group for the implementation of
MSFD Descriptor 10.
The group defi ned marine litter as any persistent, manufactured or processed solid material
discarded, disposed of or abandoned in the
marine and coastal environment (Galgani et al.
2011 ). The group identifi ed and presented 15
options/protocols for the monitoring of litter in
the different marine compartments and the biological impact of the ingested litter or microlitter.
It furthermore contains considerations about
sources, GES, objectives, environmental targets
and research needs, as well as general monitoring
strategies and the understanding of harm.
1
2
Marine Litter
Current knowledge of the quantities of litter in
European seas, the degradation and fate of litter
in the marine environment and its potentially
harmful biological, physical and chemical
impacts on marine life and habitats is insuffi -
cient. Encounters with marine litter were reported
for 663 species (CBD 2012 ). Over half of the
reported species (about 370) were associated
with entanglement in and ingestion of marine
debris, representing an increase of more than
40 % since the last review in 1997.
The entanglement of species in marine litter
has frequently been described as a serious mortality factor leading to potential losses in biodiversity (Macfadyen et al. 2009 ). Entanglement in
marine debris including lost (ghost) nets has been
reported for pinniped species, cetaceans, all 7
species of marine turtles and more than 56 species of marine and coastal birds (Katsanevakis
et al. 2007 ). Many species of fi sh have also been
reported to ingest marine litter ( Katsanevakis
et al. 2007 ; CBD 2012 ).
An emerging area of concern is the
accumulation of microplastic fragments in the
water column and in sediments (Thompson et al.
2004 ). Pieces of common polymers of less than
5 mm have been recorded worldwide (Barnes
1 (See http://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/
handle/111111111/22826 ).
F. Galgani
current environmental status, (2) the determination of good environmental status, (3) the establishment of environmental targets and
associated indicators, (4) the establishment and
implementation of a monitoring programme,
(5) the development of a programme of measures and (6) the entry into operation of this
programme of measures.
Periodic assessments of the state of the marine
environment, monitoring and the formulation of
environmental targets are perceived as part of the
continuous management process. Accordingly,
provisions are made for the modifi cation of
adopted marine strategies and measures.
Of the 11 descriptors listed in Annex I of the
MSFD for determining GES, Descriptor 10 has
been defi ned as “Properties and quantities of
marine litter do not cause harm to the coastal and
marine environment”. Commission Decision
2010/477/EU identifi es the following criteria and
associated four indicators for Descriptor 10:
1. Trends in the amount of litter washed ashore
and/or deposited on coastlines, including
analysis of its composition, spatial distribution and, where possible, source (indicator
10.1.1)
2. Trends in the amount of litter in the water column (including fl oating at the surface) and
deposited on the seafl oor, including analysis
of its composition, spatial distribution and,
where possible, source (indicator 10.1.2)
3. Trends in the amount, distribution and, where
possible, composition of microparticles (in
particular microplastics) (indicator 10.1.3)
4. Trends in the amount and composition of litter
ingested by marine animals (e.g. stomach
analysis) (indicator 10.2.1)
Human pressures on the oceans have increased
substantially in recent decades and coastal and
marine human activities generate considerable
quantities of waste. Much of this litter will persist
in the sea for years, decades or even centuries.
The occurrence of litter has been demonstrated
worldwide, in oceanic gyres, on shorelines, in
sediments and in the deep sea. Europe is on one
of the main affected area. To follow these specifi c
issues, the European Marine Directors and DG
environment established a technical group under
the Working Group for the implementation of
MSFD Descriptor 10.
The group defi ned marine litter as any persistent, manufactured or processed solid material
discarded, disposed of or abandoned in the
marine and coastal environment (Galgani et al.
2011 ). The group identifi ed and presented 15
options/protocols for the monitoring of litter in
the different marine compartments and the biological impact of the ingested litter or microlitter.
It furthermore contains considerations about
sources, GES, objectives, environmental targets
and research needs, as well as general monitoring
strategies and the understanding of harm.
1
2
Marine Litter
Current knowledge of the quantities of litter in
European seas, the degradation and fate of litter
in the marine environment and its potentially
harmful biological, physical and chemical
impacts on marine life and habitats is insuffi -
cient. Encounters with marine litter were reported
for 663 species (CBD 2012 ). Over half of the
reported species (about 370) were associated
with entanglement in and ingestion of marine
debris, representing an increase of more than
40 % since the last review in 1997.
The entanglement of species in marine litter
has frequently been described as a serious mortality factor leading to potential losses in biodiversity (Macfadyen et al. 2009 ). Entanglement in
marine debris including lost (ghost) nets has been
reported for pinniped species, cetaceans, all 7
species of marine turtles and more than 56 species of marine and coastal birds (Katsanevakis
et al. 2007 ). Many species of fi sh have also been
reported to ingest marine litter ( Katsanevakis
et al. 2007 ; CBD 2012 ).
An emerging area of concern is the
accumulation of microplastic fragments in the
water column and in sediments (Thompson et al.
2004 ). Pieces of common polymers of less than
5 mm have been recorded worldwide (Barnes
1 (See http://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/
handle/111111111/22826 ).
F. Galgani