Rui P. Vieira, Isabel P. Raposo, Paula Sobral, Jorge M.S. Gonçalves,
Katherine L.C. Bell, Marina R. Cunha, Lost fishing gear and litter at
Gorringe Bank (NE Atlantic), Journal of Sea Research, Available online
13 October 2014, ISSN 1385-1101,
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.seares.2014.10.005.
(http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1385110114001774)
Abstract: Studies concerning marine litter have received great attention
over the last several years by the scientific community mainly due to
their ecological and economic impacts in marine ecosystems, from coastal
waters to the deep ocean seafloor. The distribution, type and abundance
of marine litter in Ormonde and Gettysburg, the two seamounts of
Gorringe Bank, was analysed from photo and video imagery obtained during
ROV-based surveys carried out at 60?3015 m depths during the E/V
Nautilus cruise NA017. Located approximately 125 nm southwest of
Portugal, Gorringe Bank lays at the crossroad between the Atlantic and
the Mediterranean and is therefore characterized by an intense maritime
traffic and fishing activities. The high frequency of lost or discarded
fishing gear, such as cables, longlines and nets, observed on Gorringe
Bank suggests an origin mostly from fishing activities, with a clear
turnover in the type of litter (mostly metal, glass and to a much lesser
extent, plastic) with increasing depth. Litter was more abundant at the
summit of Gorringe Bank (ca. 4 items.km? 1), decreasing to less than 1
item.km? 1 at the flanks and to ca. 2 items.km? 1 at greater depths.
Nevertheless, litter abundance appeared to be lower than in continental
margin areas. The results presented herein are a contribution to support
further actions for the conservation of vulnerable habitats on Gorringe
Bank so that they can continue contributing to fisheries productivity in
the surrounding region.
Keywords: Marine litter; Fisheries; impacts; Gorringe Bank; NE Atlantic;
seamounts