debris by marine life; economic impacts; solutions through 

 technology; law and policy; and information and education. 



At the end of 1989, the Conference proceedings and final 

 Conference report were in preparation. The following is a 

 preliminary summary of some of the Conference findings and 

 conclusions. 



The Working Group on methods to assess the amounts and types 

 of marine debris reviewed the various methodologies currently 

 used to survey debris floating at the sea surface, washed up on 

 beaches, and resting on the sea floor. The Group noted that 

 there have been significant differences in methodologies used by 

 investigators to collect, record, and analyze data on marine 

 debris. To make maximum use of dedicated research efforts and to 

 encourage opportunistic collection of useful data by other 

 researchers, the Working Group recommended that a procedures 

 manual be prepared setting forth instructions on preferred ways 

 to carry out surveys of marine debris floating at the sea 

 surface, resting on the sea floor, and stranded on beaches. In 

 order for surveys to provide results useful for monitoring trends 

 in the types and amounts of debris in the environment, it was 

 recommended that regional networks of long-term study sites be 

 established (especially within MARPOL Annex V Special Areas) . 



The Working Group on Entanglement and Ghost Fishing 

 concluded that, based on anecdotal evidence, at least a few 

 individuals of virtually all species of large marine animals 

 become entangled in marine debris occasionally. The most severe 

 entanglement problems, however, appear to involve the endangered 

 Hawaiian monk seal and many otariid seals (i.e. , sea lions and 

 fur seals) , particularly young animals. As regards entanglement 

 of marine turtles and seabirds in marine debris, the Group 

 concluded that there is no evidence of problems comparable to the 

 level of effects caused by incidental entanglement in active 

 fishing gear or losses of nesting habitat. 



The Working Group recommended, among other things, that 

 efforts be continued to monitor, remove, and destroy lost or 

 discarded nets or other debris hazardous to monk seals, sea 

 turtles, and other marine life in the northwest Hawaiian Islands, 

 and that efforts be continued to monitor the numbers, survival, 

 breeding success, and incidence of entanglement of North Pacific 

 fur seals. It also recommended that the impact of entanglement 

 on right whales in the northwest Atlantic Ocean and Kemp's ridley 

 turtles in the Caribbean Sea be investigated. 



Because of the very large amount of fishing gear now in use 

 and the increasing use of non-degradable materials, the Working 

 Group concluded that ghost fishing (i.e. , the continued catch of 

 fish, invertebrates, and other species by fishing gear that is 

 lost or abandoned) is a potentially serious problem. It also 



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