Abstract
Summary Objectives: The European Union Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) requires that Member States put in place measures to achieve Good Environmental Status (GES) in Europe’s seas by 2020. The Directive states the following in relation to marine litter: MSFD Descriptor (10): Properties and quantities of marine litter do not cause harm to the coastal and marine environment. The descriptor to be researched in this project is: Amount and composition of litter in the water column, including floating and suspended litter, and accumulation on the sea floor. The reserach will develop a cost effective monitoring programme for determining trends over time in relation to MSFD reporting. Key Customer Purpose: To develop a future monitoring programme for the assessment of marine litter, capable of answering questions posed in the MSFD to identify the quantities of litter in the marine environment, the major processes that control the entry and / or removal of litter from the oceans and the transformations that occur during the lifecycle of any given litter item. This proposal will address: Amount and composition of litter in the water column, including floating and suspended litter, and accumulation on the sea floor.
United Kingdom