TY  - JOUR
T1  - Uneven seas: seabed litter hotspots, diffuse losses, and the mitigation power of fishing fleets
AU  - Mistri, Michele
AU  - Mantovani, Fabio
AU  - Scognamiglio, Gennaro
AU  - Strati, Virginia
AU  - Munari, Cristina
JO  - Marine Pollution Bulletin
VL  - 229
SP  - 119731
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/08/01/
SN  - 0025-326X
DO  - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2026.119731
UR  - https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0025326X26005187
KW  - Fishing for litter
KW  - Seafloor litter
KW  - Bottom trawling
KW  - Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD)
KW  - Ecosystem-based mitigation
AB  - This study evaluates the efficacy and spatial dynamics of passive Fishing for Litter (FFL) schemes in the Northern Adriatic (Goro) and Southern Tyrrhenian (Salerno) seas. The primary research question is to determine how distinct regional maritime activities and fishing effort influence the quantity, composition, and removal efficiency of seafloor macrolitter. Over a six-month period (2022–2023), 14 commercial bottom trawlers collected litter during routine operations. Despite comparable fleet characteristics, results revealed pronounced spatial heterogeneity; area-standardized removal reached 27.4 kg km−2 in Goro and 92.3 kg km−2 in Salerno, while effort-weighted LPUE differed markedly (2.83 vs 9.57 kg h−1). Stratification of rates showed that hotspot conditions increased LPUE by factors of ∼2.7–3.5, confirming that removal is driven by localized high-density events. Compositional analysis indicated distinct source pathways: diffuse aquaculture debris dominated in Goro, whereas clustered bulky waste (∼73% of mass) characterized Salerno. Annual mitigation potential was estimated at 4.3 t yr−1 (Goro) and 10.2 t yr−1 (Salerno), with modest treatment costs (€1500–€4750 yr−1). These findings demonstrate that FFL is an effective yet spatially dependent tool. Integrating such heterogeneity into assessment frameworks is essential to support MSFD implementation and targeted, ecosystem-based management strategies.
ER  -