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THE MARINE PLASTIC DEBRIS PROBLEM OFF SOUTHERN AFRICA : TYPES OF DEBRIS , THEIR ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS , AND CONTROL MEASURES

Plastic debris is a global marine pollutant which is inflicting ever-increasing environmental and financial costs. In the seas off southern Africa and the adjacent Southern Ocean, entanglement has been recorded for at least 5 species of marine mammals, 13 seabird species, 2 turtles, and 6 shark species. Plastic ingestion has been recorded from. 7 marine mammal species, 36 seabird species, 2 marine turtle species, and 7 shark species. The incidence in invertebrate taxa is not known. At present, entanglement does not pose a threat to the survival of any populations off southern Africa, but the recent introduction of a driftnet fishery to the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans and the suffering frequently associated with entanglement are causes for concern. By contrast, ingestion of plastic particles may adversely affect almost the entire population of species that do not regurgitate indigestible objects, with large, accumulated plastic loads reducing feeding efficiency or obstructing the digestive tract. Off southern Africa, generalist, surface-feeding, pelagic taxa such as certain procellariiform seabirds (petrels and albatrosses) and juvenile marine turtles are at risk from plastic ingestion. The incidence of ingested plastic in some species exceeds 90% of the population. The major financial cost of marine plastic debris is the reduced aesthetic appeal of coastal areas, which adversely affects the tourist industry. In South Africa alone, approximately R10 million is spent annually on cleaning beaches, where plastic makes up more than 90% of all stranded debris. To address the problem of marine debris requires knowledge of the sources of various pollutants. Beach surveys readily assess the most abundant types of plastic debris, and from these data their sources can be inferred. Disposable packaging accounts for more than half the large plastic objects on southern African beaches, with most of the remainder composed of fishing gear. Sheet plastic (bags and wrappings) is the most abundant single type of plastic. Among small particles, virgin industrial pellets and fragments of other products predominate. In R. S. Shomura and M. L. Godfrey (editors), Proceedings of the Second International Conference on Marine Debris, 2 7 April 1989. Honolulu, Hawaii. U.S. Dep. Comer., N O M Tech Memo. NMFS, NOAA-TM-NMFS-SWFSC-154. 1990.