![]() Around 88% of all debris was macroplastics larger than 5cm (Luiz Rocha © California Academy of Sciences) Trash on every dive Macroplastics larger than about 5cm made up 88% of the total debris. ![]() Unlike those near-shore environments, however, the amounts of plastics on coral reefs were found to increase with depth, peaking in the mesophotic zone and mostly derived from fishing activities. They found that coral reefs appeared to be more contaminated by plastics and other human-derived debris than other marine ecosystems that have been evaluated in the past, even though far less polluted than ecosystems such as beaches and wetlands. To survey mesophotic coral reefs (from 30-150m deep), the researchers used technical scuba-diving equipment to count debris along 20m transects, or analysed footage captured by ROVs and manned submersibles. More than 1,200 visual surveys were carried out across 84 reef ecosystems (Luiz Rocha © California Academy of Sciences) ![]() Their aim was to establish the abundance, distribution and drivers of plastic pollution at a range of depths. The team of researchers from the California Academy of Sciences (CAS), the Universities of Oxford, Exeter and São Paulo and other bodies conducted more than 1,200 underwater visual surveys across 84 reef ecosystems at a range of depths in 14 countries with Indian, Pacific and Atlantic Ocean coasts. The scientists say that the resulting survey of plastic pollution on coral reefs is the most comprehensive yet, and that some promising strategies to help protect reefs have emerged from it. Also read: Ghost Fishing UK divers on Shetland net mission
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