title: Occurrence of plastic debris in the stomach of the invasive crab Eriocheir sinensis.
abstract: The Chinese mitten crab is known as a pest causing damage to fishing gears and fish. On the other hand, this highly invasive species is considered a delicacy by Asian migrants and therefore commercially fished and sold in many countries. The ingestion of plastic by the Chinese mitten crab Eriocheir sinensis from the Baltic coastal waters (Poland) and the Tagus Estuary (Portugal) was studied based on stomach content analysis. As many as 13% of the 302 analysed males and females (38.07-89.07mm carapace width) from both regions, contained microplastic in the form of strands and balls. Most of them were transparent. Ingested plastic particles were identified as fragments of fishing gears. Contamination with plastic may have a negative impact on this species as well as on higher trophic levels feeding on crabs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Ecology of Marine Organisms, Institute of Oceanography, University of Gdańsk, Al. Marszałka J. Piłsudskiego 46, 81-378 Gdynia, Poland. Electronic address: d.wojcik@ug.edu.pl.
authors.forename: Dagmara
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wójcik-Fudalewska
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Ecology of Marine Organisms, Institute of Oceanography, University of Gdańsk, Al. Marszałka J. Piłsudskiego 46, 81-378 Gdynia, Poland.
authors.forename: Monika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Normant-Saremba
authors.affiliation: MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, Department of Landscape, Environment and Planning, School of Sciences and Technology, University of Évora, Rua Romão Ramalho 59, 7000-671 Évora, Portugal.
authors.forename: Pedro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Anastácio
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003386:Brachyura / Q000737:chemistry*; D005260:Female; D009792:Oceans and Seas; D010969:Plastics / Q000032:analysis*; D011044:Poland; D011174:Portugal; D012758:Shellfish / Q000032:analysis*; D013270:Stomach / Q000737:chemistry*; D014866:Waste Products / Q000032:analysis*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D010969:Plastics; D014866:Waste Products; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
keywords: Baltic Sea; Chinese mitten crab; Crustacean; Plastic ingestion; Stomach contents; Tagus Estuary