title: Low densities of drifting litter in the African sector of the Southern Ocean.
abstract: Only 52 litter items (>1cm diameter) were observed in 10,467 km of at-sea transects in the African sector of the Southern Ocean. Litter density north of the Subtropical Front (0.58 items km(-2)) was less than in the adjacent South Atlantic Ocean (1-6 items km(-2)), but has increased compared to the mid-1980s. Litter density south of the Subtropical Front was an order of magnitude less than in temperate waters (0.032 items km(-2)). There was no difference in litter density between sub-Antarctic and Antarctic waters either side of the Antarctic Polar Front. Most litter was made of plastic (96%). Fishery-related debris comprised a greater proportion of litter south of the Subtropical Front (33%) than in temperate waters (13%), where packaging dominated litter items (68%). The results confirm that the Southern Ocean is the least polluted ocean in terms of drifting debris and suggest that most debris comes from local sources.
authors.affiliation: Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, DST/NRF Centre of Excellence, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch 7701, South Africa. Electronic address: pryan31@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Peter G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Ryan
authors.affiliation: Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, DST/NRF Centre of Excellence, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch 7701, South Africa.
authors.forename: Seth
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Musker
authors.affiliation: Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, DST/NRF Centre of Excellence, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch 7701, South Africa.
authors.forename: Ariella
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rink
mesh_terms: D000349:Africa; D000864:Antarctic Regions; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005398:Fisheries / Q000379:methods; D010969:Plastics; D014866:Waste Products / Q000145:classification*; D014873:Water Pollutants
chemical_list: D010969:Plastics; D014866:Waste Products; D014873:Water Pollutants
keywords: Fishery wastes; Indian Ocean; Marine debris; Plastic litter; South Atlantic Ocean; Survey