title: Plastic ingestion by harbour seals (Phoca vitulina) in The Netherlands.
abstract: Abundance of ingested debris by seals has been mentioned as a potential indicator of marine litter in the European Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD). A sample of 107 stomachs, 100 intestines and 125 scats of harbour seals from the Netherlands was analysed for the presence of plastics. Incidence of plastic was 11% for stomachs, 1% for intestines, and 0% for scats. Younger animals, up to 3 years of age, were most affected. This is the first quantitative study of plastic ingestion by phocid seals. The observed level of incidence is of environmental concern, but is low in the sense of suitability of seals for MSFD monitoring purposes.
authors.affiliation: IMARES Wageningen UR., PO Box 167, 1790 AD Den Burg (Texel), The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Elisa L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Bravo Rebolledo
authors.forename: Jan A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Van Franeker
authors.forename: Okka E
authors.initials: OE
authors.lastname: Jansen
authors.forename: Sophie M J M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Brasseur
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004435:Eating; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D009426:Netherlands; D046049:Phoca / Q000378:metabolism*; D010969:Plastics / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D014866:Waste Products / Q000032:analysis* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D010969:Plastics; D014866:Waste Products; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical