www.ospar.org

Latest Marine Litter developments in

the OSPAR RSC

Thomas Maes

Mediterranean Conference, Athens, 12-13 May 2014

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Pre-History

• In the early 1990s, Sweden expressed serious concerns about the increasing amounts of solid

waste (marine litter) found in the coastal and marine environment, and presented a background

document on marine litter in the OSPAR Maritime Area to the OSPAR Assessment and

Monitoring Working Group (ASMO).

• In 1995, the OSPAR IMPACT Working Group adopted a Working Strategy on Marine Litter.

Sweden agreed to be Lead Party for the work. The OSPAR ASMO decided in 1999 on a pilot

project. This decision was based on additional overview documents, and the work and

recommendations of a Correspondence Group. The pilot project mandate was to develop a

common methodology for the monitoring of beach litter, and to elaborate a draft monitoring

programme for marine litter based on beach surveys.

• Marine litter was included as one issue in the OSPAR Quality Status Report 2000 (QSR).

“There seems to have been no subsequent improvement in the situation with regard to litter.“ It

was, furthermore, concluded in the OSPAR QSR that "improved and more standardized

methodologies, including the establishment of reference areas, will be needed to properly

assess the scale and impact of litter both on coasts and offshore. These in turn will provide a

basis for assessing trends in the quantities and significance of litter throughout the OSPAR

area".

• ICG Marine Litter (co leads Germany/Netherlands) – since 2008

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OSPAR Pilot Project on Monitoring

Marine Beach Litter

• A total of 614 beach surveys on 51 reference beaches in 8 countries during the pilot project period,

2001–2006. The total number of marine litter items found per stretch of beach varied considerably

among pilot project reference beaches and surveys. On average, 542 items of marine litter of varying

size were found per 100-metre survey on the reference beaches throughout the OSPAR region.

• Small plastic/polystyrene pieces (28%), pieces of ropes, cords and nets (14%)

• The reliability of data strongly depends on the quality of the surveys

• Number of items fluctuates heavily from year to year and from period to period

• Challenges:

– not due to lack of awareness of the issues surrounding marine litter or lack of data from various

regions

– the lack of standardisation and compatibility between methods used and results obtained made

it difficult to compare data from different regions and to make an overall assessment of the

marine litter pollution situation for the entire OSPAR region.

– Non normal distribution of marine litter data!

• Solutions:

– Standardisation of beach monitoring and data reporting (guidelines, photo book, ...)

– Intercorrespondence Group on Marine Litter

– Ongoing assessments, 3 different statistical methods proposed, continuous improvements

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History

• 2010

• 2013

• 2014

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2010

• Quality Status Report

• Ministerial Declaration (Bergen, Norway): “we note that

quantities of litter of marine litter in many areas of the North East

Atlantic are unacceptable and therefore we will continue to

develop reduction measures and targets taking into consideration

an ambitious target resulting in a reduction in 2020”

• North East Atlantic Strategy (2010 – 2020): “to substantially

reduce marine litter in the OSPAR maritime area to levels where

properties and quantities do not cause harm to marine

environment”

• Start of coordination of actions to deliver Good Environmental

Status (for EU MS) and implementation of NEA Strategy

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2013

• Agreement to develop Regional Action Plan Marine

Litter at Commission Meeting

• Agreement on Common and Candidate Indicators to

be used by as many Contracting Parties (and EU MS

in their MSFD Monitoring plans) as possible (no

obligation)

• Candidates: potential to become Common Indicator

within few years (before next MSFD cycle)

• Prioritized Candidates: potential to become Common

Indicator within 1-2 years

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2013 continued

• Common Indicators:

– Beach litter (all CP’s)

– Plastic Particles in Stomachs Fulmars (North Sea)

Floating indicator (and impact on biota)

• Prioritized Candidate Indicator: seabed litter using

International Bottom Trawl Surveys (IBTS)

• Candidate: other target species/impact on biota

indicators (outside North Sea) - in development

• Candidate: microplastics (currently not defined, R&D

will continue to close knowledge gaps)

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2014 Regional Action Plan Marine Litter

• OSPAR Breakout Group at Berlin 2013 ML Conference

• Agreement at OSPAR Cie 2013 to develop RAP ML

Follow up through questionnaire and workshops:

– Hamburg, Germany: November 2013

– The Hague, Netherlands: February 2014

• First policy Discussion at EIHA Committee meeting,

Gothenburg, Sweden, April 2014

• Final Drafting Group 15-16 May, Bonn

• Adoption at OSPAR Commission Meeting June 2014

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2014 RAP ML Cont.

• Three levels of measures

– Regional: large scale, wide spread and

transboundary OSPAR measure

– National: information exchange and coordination of

measures by OSPAR

– Measures in the competence of the EU or other

international bodies (such as IMO): OSPAR

develops joint proposal and agreements for

concerted action

• (Proposals for) operational targets

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2014 cont.

• Sea-based measures: Further harmonization of fee-

systems PWRF, stricter enforcement, best practice for

fishing industry, …

• Land-based measures: Improved waste management,

reduction of sewage-related waste, smarter production

(eco design; packaging guidelines), zero pellet loss, …

• Removal measures: increased and more effective F4L

• Education and outreach

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Focus on operational targets

• Linked to measures, do the measures work?

• Drafting group will consider:

– Implementation targets related to measures

– Targets for development of measures

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Coming months

• Further coordination/integration on monitoring

• IBTS indicator “promotion” to Common Indicator level

• Further work on RAP

• Drafting Group15/16 May (further work on

measures)

• Adoption of RAP at OSPAR Cie (June)!