title: Marine debris: a proximate threat to marine sustainability in Bootless Bay, Papua New Guinea.
abstract: Surveys of stranded marine debris around Motupore Island, a small island in Bootless Bay, Papua New Guinea, revealed exceptionally high loads (up to 78.3 items m(-2)), with major concentrations in mangrove-dominated, depositional areas. The worst affected, 50-m stretch of shore was estimated to contain >37.000 items with a combined weight of 889 kg. Consistent with studies elsewhere, plastics comprised by far the majority of debris across all sites (89.7%). The lack of centralised waste collection and limited village-based resources, coupled with an increasing population, suggests that this issue is a long way from solution. High debris loads thwart attempts to rehabilitate depleted mangrove forests through smothering of seedlings, perpetuating run-off and water quality issues in the bay. Addressing marine debris is thus of fundamental importance for the sustainability of Bootless Bay and its resources, and a critical step in promoting ecosystem resilience.
authors: National Marine Science Centre, Southern Cross University, P.O. Box 4321, Coffs Harbour, New South Wales 2450, Australia. ssmith@nmsc.edu.au
authors: Stephen D A
authors: SD
authors: Smith
mesh_terms: D061006:Bays / Q000737:chemistry; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D010219:Papua New Guinea; D010969:Plastics / Q000032:analysis*; D014866:Waste Products / Q000032:analysis* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014873:Water Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D014876:Water Pollution / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
chemical_list: D010969:Plastics; D014866:Waste Products; D014873:Water Pollutants