http://www.defishgear.net/

http://www.defishgear.net/project/background

BACKGROUND

Marine litter issue is recognized as one of the major threats to marine
ecosystems in the Mediterranean Sea.

Even though an effort to assess the status of marine litter (abundance,
type and distribution) at regional level was made by UNEP/MAP and
collaborating NGOs in 2008, marine litter related data are sporadic and
limited in terms of time and space when it comes to individual
countries. Lack of knowledge on scientific data on marine litter in the
Adriatic is acknowledged by the EC (MSFD) and the Barcelona Convention
(BC) secretariat, giving indices to start regionally synchronized
assessments to serve as a basis for effective marine litter management
programmes.

DeFishGear project within its overarching aim to reduce marine litter in
the Adriatic will provide first assessment of the same and establish a
regional network of experts that will continue to collaborate among
themselves assuring a sustainable joint management of marine litter in
the Adriatic.