Marine Debris Project Final Report 2014

Table of ContentsAcknowledgments ............................................................................................................................................ viiExecutive Summary ............................................................................................................................................ 1Part I Introduction 4Part II Year One in Review 112. A brief synopsis ......................................................................................................................... 11Part III Year Two in Review 133. A brief synopsis ......................................................................................................................... 13Part IV Year Three in Review 174. A brief synopsis ......................................................................................................................... 17Part V Sources, Distribution and Fate of Marine Debris 225. Overview ................................................................................................................................... 225.1 Estimating quantities and sources of marine debris at a continental scale ............................. 225.2 At-sea surveys for marine microplastics and other anthropogenic litter ................................. 28Part VI Threat to Wildlife 326. Overview ................................................................................................................................... 326.1 Seabirds and debris ingestion ................................................................................................... 336.2 Turtles and debris ingestion and entanglement ....................................................................... 346.3 Pinnipeds and entanglement .................................................................................................... 36Part VII Citizen Science 407. Overview ................................................................................................................................... 407.1 Scientist for a Day ..................................................................................................................... 407.2 Intensive Field Expeditions ....................................................................................................... 417.3 Effectiveness of Citizen Science ................................................................................................ 42Part VIII Solutions 558. Overview ................................................................................................................................... 558.1 The effectiveness of Local Waste Management Policies and Activities ................................... 558.2 Container Deposit: an effective policy for reducing litter ........................................................ 568.3 CSIRO Policy input to the Threat Abatement Plan .................................................................... 59Part IX Science Communication 689. Overview ................................................................................................................................... 68Hardesty et al. (2014) | iii