The economic and social impact of marine litter
        Learn more about how marine litter affects livelihoods

The problem of marine litter is a common problem for coastal local communities and other organisations throughout the world. A wide range of studies and surveys employing many different methodologies have been undertaken over the years to assess the problem. These have attempted to address the problems of collecting data on the volumes, types, origin and other factors relating to marine litter and oil. There is much less research and data available about the economic and social impacts of these substances. 

In 2000, KIMO International presented the results of a two-year project to investigate the economic and social impacts of marine litter on coastal communities. The report demonstrates the significant costs to coastal communities not previously acknowledged and demonstrates not only that polluters of the oceans are not being caught but that they are not being made to pay for their actions either.

The fishing industry has long been associated with the contribution of marine pollution but little work has been done on the effects on the industry itself of marine debris and other pollution.When questioned about the effects of marine debris on their fishing activities, Shetland fishermen responded that 92% had recurring problems with accumulated debris in nets, 69% had had their catch contaminated by debris and 92% had snagged their nets on debris on the seabed. Many also experienced fouled propellers and blocked intake pipes. On average, 1-2 hours per week were spent clearing debris from nets. Debris could cause a restricted catch and many boats avoided particular fishing areas altogether due to the high concentrations of debris. 

The fishing industry has long been associated with the contribution of marine pollution but little work has been done on the effects on the industry itself of marine debris and other pollution.When questioned about the effects of marine debris on their fishing activities, Shetland fishermen responded that 92% had recurring problems with accumulated debris in nets, 69% had had their catch contaminated by debris and 92% had snagged their nets on debris on the seabed. Many also experienced fouled propellers and blocked intake pipes. On average, 1-2 hours per week were spent clearing debris from nets. Debris could cause a restricted catch and many boats avoided particular fishing areas altogether due to the high concentrations of debris.  

Costs to untangle nets and unsoil propellers are colossal

The catch, net and other equipment could be contaminated by oil containers, paint tins, oil filters and other chemicals, resulting in a potential loss of revenue of up to £2,000 per incident. Large items such as wires and old nets may be collected off the seabed and may damage the nets. A fouled propeller could cost up to £300 for the hire of a diver to disentangle it and result in a substantial amount of lost fishing time. It is estimated that each boat could lose between £6,000 and £30,000 per year due to the effects and presence of marine debris. If 50% of the Shetland fishing fleet was affected in the same way, the cost to the local industry could be £492,000–2,460,000 per year. Similarly, the cost of marine debris to the fishing community of the Swedish Bohus region was estimated to be over £620,000 each year.

Image courtesy of John Butterwith, Chief Executive, North Devon Fishermen's Association

Smaller vessels are at a higher risk

According to reports from fishermen in both Shetland and Esbjerg (Denmark), small inshore boats appear to be more susceptible to marine debris than large pelagic boats. This may be because the larger offshore boats are fishing mid-water and are therefore less likely to collect debris on or near the seabed. Smaller boats may also notice the presence of marine debris more than larger boats as they have less crew and a lower profit margin, so any time or money lost will affect them more. 

Fishing vessels, along with the fish farming industry, are perhaps the main sources of discarded fishing net, line, rope, crab pots, floats, fish feed bags, polystyrene blocks and fish boxes . In turn, fishermen are finding an increasing amount of plastic debris amongst their catch, which not only takes time to remove, but plastic bottles and old net can themselves damage freshly caught fish. Moreover, there have been cases whereby plastic has blocked cooling systems causing engines to overheat. In some areas around the UK, such as the Bristol Channel, the problem has reached such a state whereby fishermen, when removing plastic items entangled in their nets, voluntarily place them in plastic bin liners for disposal by the local council at their base ports. It has been noted that much of what is known about the impact of litter on fishing activities is based on anecdotal evidence. Litter found in an offshore fishing bank caused a serious economic loss to fishermen in Swansea Bay. The UK National Federation of Fishermen’s Organization have confirmed that marine litter is a cause of concern around Britain's coasts, but no attempts have been made to quantify the extent of the problem.

Problems with propeller fouling, blocked intake pipes and damaged drive shafts have been reported in the North Sea, Alaska and the East Coast of North America. According to two studies done in the Bering Sea and the Gulf of Alaska, 40–60% of bottom trawls collected plastic and metal debris. Inshore fishing is particularly important for Orkney, Shetland and the West Coast of Scotland, where the majority of small vessels are based. Scotland's fishing industry handled 71% of all UK fish landings into the UK in 1994, with a market value of some £279.3 million. Peterhead, Scotland’s major fish market, is the largest in Western Europe. The fishing industry is also a vital source of employment in Scotland with over 8,500 people directly employed as fishermen and a further 13,000 employed onshore in fishing related activity. Many of these people live around the coastline of Scotland.

Some statistics to digest...

Shetland fishermen have estimated the value of one hour of their time to £30–120 per hour (average £67). Using the average figure, the losses to an average Shetland fishing vessel would, annually, be as follows:

• £3,500–7,000 due to lost time clearing nets of debris
• £250–1,000 cleaning equipment and nets of contaminants
• £100–10,000+ due to time lost fixing nets
• £60–500 due to time lost with fouled propeller
• £2,000–10,000+ to repair nets
• £50–300 to un-foul propeller
• £100 for gear box inspection
• £6,000 – 30,000 per vessel assuming only one incident per year and working only 40 hours per week.