Eisfeld-Pierantonio, S.M., Pierantonio, N., Simmonds, M.P., 2022. The impact of marine debris on cetaceans with consideration of plastics generated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Environmental Pollution 300, 118967. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2022.118967

        Highlights

•     The build-up of human-derived debris in the oceans is a global environmental plague.
•     68% of cetacean species are affected by marine debris either by ingestion or entanglement.
•     Covid-19 related debris are likely to further affect cetacean species.
•     Long-term population consequences of marine debris have not been assessed in 50 years.
•     Welfare concerns relating to marine debris are overlooked in conservation plans.

Abstract

The accumulation of human-derived debris in the oceans is a global concern and a serious threat to marine wildlife. There is a volume of evidence that points to deleterious effects of marine debris (MD) on cetaceans in terms of both entanglement and ingestion. This review suggests that about 68% of cetacean species are affected by interacting with MD with an increase in the number of species reported to have interacted with it over the past decades. Despite the growing body of evidence, there is an ongoing debate on the actual effects of plastics on cetaceans and, in particular, with reference to the ingestion of microplastics and their potential toxicological and pathogenic effects. Current knowledge suggests that the observed differences in the rate and nature of interactions with plastics are the result of substantial differences in species-specific diving and feeding strategies. Existing projections on the production, use and disposal of plastics suggest a further increase of marine plastic pollution. In this context, the contribution of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic to marine plastic pollution appears to be substantial, with potentially serious consequences for marine life including cetaceans. Additionally, the COVID-19 pandemic offers an opportunity to investigate the direct links between industry, human behaviours and the effects of MD on cetaceans. This could help inform management, prevention efforts, describe knowledge gaps and guide advancements in research efforts. This review highlights the lack of assessments of population-level effects related to MD and suggests that these could be rather immediate for small populations already under pressure from other anthropogenic activities. Finally, we suggest that MD is not only a pollution, economic and social issue, but also a welfare concern for the species and populations involved.