The Quantitative Distribution and Characteristics of Neuston Plastic in the North Pacific Ocean, 1985-88

The distribution, abundance, and characteristics of neuston plastic in the North Pacific, Bering Sea, and Japan Sea were studied during the 4-year period 1985-88 at 203 neuston stations encompassing ca. 91,000 m2 of sampling. The highest total density of neuston plastic was 316,800 pieces/km2 at lat. 35"59'N, long. 152"OO'E in Transitional Water east of Japan. The highest total concentration of neuston plastic was 3,491.8 g/km2 at lat. 40"00'N, long. 171'30'E near the Subarctic Front in the central North Pacific. miscellaneous line fragments (21.7% of all stations), Styrofoam (12.8%), polypropylene line fragments (7.4%), miscellaneous or unidentified plastic (7.4%), and raw pellets (5.9%). Plastic fragments were recorded at 52.2% of all stations and at 88.3% of those stations with plastic. The highest densities (number per square kilometer) and concentrations (gram per square kilometer) of neuston plastic occurred in Japan Sea/nearshore Japan Water, in Transitional Water, and in Subtropical Water. Densities of neuston plastic in Subarctic Water and Bering Sea Water were low. Heterogeneous geographic input and currents and winds are important in distributing and concentrating neuston plastic. Microscale convergences appear to be important mechanisms that locally concentrate neuston plastic, increasing the probability of its entering food chains. Main types of neuston plastic were In R. S. Shomura and M . L. Godfrey (editors), Proceedings of the Second International Conference on Marine Debris, 2-7 April 1989. Honolulu, Hawaii. Memo. NHFS. NOM-TM-NMFS-SWFSC-154. 1990. U . S . Dep. Comer.. NOAA Tech