Tackling Marine Debris in the 21st Century - Softcover

National Research Council; Division On Earth And Life Studies; Ocean Studies Board; Committee On The Effectiveness Of International And National Measures To Prevent And Reduce Marine Debris And Its Impacts

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0309126975 ISBN 13: 9780309126977

Publisher: National Academies Press, 2009

Synopsis

Marine debris from ships and other ocean-based sources-including trash and lost fishing gear-contributes to the spoiling of beaches, fouling of surface waters and the seafloor, and harm to marine animals, among other effects. Unfortunately, international conventions and domestic laws intended to control marine debris have not been successful, in part because the laws, as written, provide little incentive to change behavior.

This book identifies ways to reduce waste, improve waste disposal at ports, and strengthen the regulatory framework toward a goal of zero waste discharge into the marine environment. Progress will depend on a commitment to sustained funding and appropriate institutional support.

The Interagency Marine Debris Coordinating Committee should, through planning and prioritization, target research to understand the sources, fates, and impacts of marine debris. It should support the establishment of scalable and statistically rigorous protocols that allow monitoring at a variety of temporal and spatial scales. These protocols should contain evaluative metrics that allow assessment of progress in marine debris mitigation. The United States, through leadership in the international arena, should provide technical assistance and support for the establishment of additional monitoring and research programs worldwide.

Table of Contents

• Front Matter
• Summary
• 1 Introduction
• 2 Understanding Marine Debris and Its Impacts
• 3 Measures to Prevent and Reduce Marine Debris and Its Impacts
• 4 Derelict Fishing Gear and Fish Aggregating Devices
• References
• Appendix A: Committee and Staff Biographies
• Appendix B: Acronyms
• Appendix C: Selected Literature on Quantities and Impacts of Marine Debris
• Appendix D: Parties to MARPOL Annex V and Members of Regional Fisheries Management Organizations
• Appendix E: Management of Waste and Derelict Fishing Gear

About this title

About the Author:

Committee on the Effectiveness of International and National Measures to Prevent and Reduce Marine Debris and Its Impacts, National Research Council

About this edition

• Publisher: National Academies Press
• Publication date: 2009
• ISBN 10: 0309126975
• ISBN 13: 9780309126977
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 218