HELCOM Monitoring Programme topic Litter. Programme: Macrolitter characteristics and abundance/volume – Beach litter.

Abstract

The monitoring of beach litter started for most HELCOM countries in 2012, and has continued regularly since then. However, the countries have until now used different monitoring protocols for identifying and reporting beach litter items, i.e. MARLIN/UNEP protocol, OSPAR protocol and to some extent nationally adapted protocols to EU TGML/JRCs joint category list for marine litter items. Thus, data are not fully harmonized and can in Baltic wide assessments mainly be compared at the material category level and not for all relevant types of litter items. Furthermore, monitoring is not nationally coordinated in one country and in one country monitoring is based on scientific projects data only and not yet conducted continuously. The network of monitoring stations has expanded since 2015, which together with the suggested coordinated monitoring program will provide a more complete and coherent image of the extent of beach litter items found in the different sub-regions. The monitoring program will also allow for a reliable input of monitoring data resulting in scientific conclusions based on a solid knowledgebase and as a consequence, the assessment of the pressure will be done with more certainty. Monitoring can be performed on different types of beaches, i.e. rural, urban or peri-urban beaches, that can provide knowledge on different types of sources of litter.