The systematic annual observations of the northern fur seal rookery on Tyuleniy (= Robben) Island, Sea of Okhotsk, were started in 1958. Since 1975, all seals entangled in marine debris have been registered. Some of the data on this issue, collected on the island in the late 20th century, were published earlier. This report provides data for the period of completion of the commercial sealing (from 1998 to 2013). During this period, a total of 867 fur seals were observed entangled in marine debris, including 212 bulls, 97 half-bulls, 223 bachelors, and 335 females. The estimated mean annual number of entangled fur seals in 1998-2013 is 1113 individuals. Marine debris was found mainly on the neck and, less frequently, on the head and front flippers of the animals. This included pieces of fishing nets, packaging bands, ropes, fishing lines, and other items of anthropogenic origin.

Download full-text PDF

Source
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2019.04.051DOI Listing

Publication Analysis

Top Keywords

marine debris
16
fur seals
12
northern fur
8
island sea
8
sea okhotsk
8
entangled marine
8
entanglement northern
4
fur
4
seals
4
seals callorhinus
4

Similar Publications

Microplastic (MP) pollution is an emerging environmental problem worldwide and has caused widespread concern both in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems due to their potential impacts on the human health, and health of aquatic organisms and the environment. Little is known about the exposure of top marine predators to MP contamination (debris 0.1μm - <5mm, also called MPs).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The economic impacts of marine plastic debris in South Africa: A preliminary estimate.

Mar Pollut Bull

December 2024

Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Pretoria, South Africa.

Marine plastic debris can affect the delivery of ecosystem services and cause direct damage to affected industries; with resulting impacts on the economy. This paper applies a version of the benefits transfer method to provide a preliminary estimate of the economic impacts of marine plastic in South Africa, in terms of impacts on ecosystem services, direct damage to industry, and clean-up costs. The total economic impact associated with the plastic reaching South Africa's marine environment each year ranges between R3.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Characterization of a biocomposite film using coconut jelly powder to improve arrowroot starch and sodium alginate film forming properties.

Int J Biol Macromol

December 2024

Department of Marine, Faculty of Fisheries and Marine, Universitas Airlangga, Campus C UNAIR, Mulyorejo, Surabaya 60115, Indonesia; Research Group of Post-harvest, Processing Technology, and Bioproducts, Faculty of Fisheries and Marine, Universitas Airlangga, Mulyorejo, Surabaya 60115, Indonesia. Electronic address:

Composite polymers are promising solution to structural setbacks of starch and alginate-based films due to their hydrophilic attributes. Hence, this study aimed to investigate young coconut jelly powder (CJP), an under-utilized by-waste, as a filler using the casting method to develop a novel biocomposite from increments of CJP (1-3 %) to a blended resin of arrowroot starch, sodium alginate, and glycerol. Moreover, the films were characterized by physicomechanical (visual aspect, thickness, color, moisture content, tensile strength, and elongation at break); surface microstructure; water barrier (water vapor permeability, water solubility, and water activities); thermal, crystallinity, and functional group properties; soil, river water, and seawater biodegradability; and coating application in cherry tomato.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Nanoplastics are known to represent a threat to marine ecosystems. Their combination with other contaminants of emerging concerns (CECs) may amplify ecotoxic effects, with unknown impacts on marine biodiversity. This study investigates the effects, single and combined, of bisphenol A (BPA)-one of the most hazardous CECs-and polystyrene nanoparticles (PS NPs)-as a proxy for nanoplastics, being among the most commonly found asmarine debris-on cholinesterase (ChE) activities of the ascidian .

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Plastic debris in coastal environments usually undergoes weathering due to various environmental conditions. However, the weathering effects on exposed and shaded sides of the same plastics are underexplored. In this study, 1573 plastic fragments were collected from 15 coastal sites worldwide between December 2021 and December 2022, and weathering experiments were conducted outdoors.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?

Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!