Marine litter in the coastal zone of southern Istria

Cilj ovog istraživanja je početna procjena rasprostranjenosti, vrsta i količina makrootpada u moru te po mogućnosti utvrđivanja njegovog podrijetla na morskoj obali i plitkom infralitoralu južnog područja Istarske županije s posebnim osvrtom na količine krutog komunalnog otpada koje nastaju na kopnu te na načine i razloge njegova ulaska u morski okoliš. Uz analizu dostupnih podataka o tokovima otpada na kopnu, na 5 lokacija primijenjena je jednostavna, selektivna i ekonomična metoda sakupljanja otpada na morskim plažama i vizualni pregled morskog dna duž transekata autonomnim ronjenjem do 20 m dubine. Gustoća makrootpada na istraživanim morskim plažama vrlo je visoka (ukupan prosjek 10,6 predmeta po m2) kao i indeks čistoće obale (CCI), što ukazuje na veliko onečišćenje i u skladu je s rezultatima nedavnih istraživanja plaža na otoku Visu, a u vezi je s tipom uvale. Prosječna gustoća otpada na morskom dnu od 0,0458 predmeta po m2 u skladu je s dosadašnjim malobrojnim istraživanjima sličnim metodama. U otpadu u moru prevladava grupa umjetni polimerni materijali – plastika (na plažama preko 80%), a od kategorija najzastupljeniji su dijelovi ambalaže od hrane i pića, te na plažama higijenski pribor (štapići za uši), opušci i dijelovi ribolovne opreme. Glavni izvor otpada su uzobalne aktivnosti (turizam i rekreacija), no aktivnosti na moru (plovidba, ribolov, marikultura) izvor su u prosjeku oko trećine otpada u moru. Unos otpada u morski okoliš i donos otpada na morske plaže je kontinuiran zbog lošeg gospodarenja i odbacivanja otpada te je moguć donos iz susjednih zemalja pa čak i iz najjužnijih dijelova Jadrana. Problem otpada u moru je prepoznat, postoji regulativa koja je u radu pregledno prikazana, no nužno je njeno provođenje te daljnje praćenje stanja uz propisivanje mjera u cilju postizanja i očuvanja dobrog stanja morskog okoliša u odnosu na taj deskriptor.The aim of this research was the initial estimation of the distribution, types and quantity of marine macro litter in the sea; and, eventually, the determination where it originates from once it reaches the seashore and the shallow infralittoral zone of the southern part of the Istrian County, with a special emphasis on the amount of solid municipal waste generated on the land, as well as how and why it enters the marine environment. Besides the analysis of available data on land waste pathways, a simple, selective and low cost waste collection method was applied to beaches at 5 locations, along with an underwater visual survey along transects of the sea bottom down to 20 m of depth. The density of marine macro litter on beaches was very high (total average of 10.6 items per m2), as was the coastal cleanness index (CCI), which points to a high pollution, and is in concordance with the results of a recent study of beaches on the island of Vis, and can be attributed to the coast type. The average density of marine litter at the sea bottom was 0.0458 items per m2 and is in line with previous studies using similar methods. The group “artificial polymer materials” was dominant in marine litter (over 80% on the studied beaches), and prevalent categories were food and beverage packaging, hygienic accessories (cotton bud sticks), along with cigarette butts and fishing gear. The main source of marine litter are human activities along the shore (tourism and recreation), but activities in the sea (shipping, fishing, mariculture) are the source of about one-third of the marine litter. The input of waste into the marine environment and the accumulation of marine litter on beaches are continuous due to poor waste management and littering, as well as incoming floating waste from neighbouring countries or the southernmost parts of the Adriatic. The problem of marine litter is well recognized, so much so the regulation exists (clearly presented in the dissertation), but it needs to be implemented and monitored carefully in order to to determine adequate measures to achieve and preserve a good environmental status of marine environment for that descriptor