Poster abstracts and manuscripts from the Third International ...

16
though not part of the land-based category, showed positive
correlation with beach-goers at one site. The Lori Wilson Park
site, the most accessible and most often cleaned, showed that
beach-goers had a significant correlation with metal beverage
cans, straws and plastic bags with seams (< 1 meter).
Land-based items such as tampon applicators showed no significant
correlation with beach-goers, but when seen geographically with
respect to wind direction and speed, displayed seasonal trends.
Fishing line, an ocean-based debris item, had a significant
correlation with beach-goers at a site known for its surf
fishing. Conducting correlation analysis on other land-based
activities such as number of cars and one-quart motor oil bottlescould
lend more support to using land-based activities as a
source identification tool. Positive correlation coefficients
might suggest that partitioning- survey indicator items before the
initial correlation analysis may lead to erroneous results. The
issue of remobilization ("trash-trading" terminology by CMC,
1994), where land-based debris of one country has been found on
the shores of neighboring countries through meteorological and
oceanographic factors, has recently come under close scrutiny.
Dependent on the location of beaches, land-based sources were
determined to be the main reason for beach debris. The question
then remains, "How much of the beach debris is actually due to
offshore vessels?"
In summary, the utilization of land-based activities for the
identification of land-based and ocean-based debris seems a
worth-while contribution in the establishment of successful
marine debris monitoring programs.
Hall, Martin, Marco Garcia, Cleridy Lennert, and Pablo Arenas
Characterization of Floating Objects Associated with the Tuna
Fisheries of the Eastern Pacific Ocean
Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission, San Diego, California,
USA
The association of yellowfin tuna, Thunnus albacares, with
floating objects ("logs") in the eastern Pacific Ocean (EPO) is a
well-known fact, although the reasons for this relationship are
not completely understood. In this work we attempt to
characterize the floating objects encountered and the
environmental conditions prevailing when they were sighted or set
on during the tuna fishery.
Observers assigned to tuna purse-seine vessels as part of the
Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission's (IATTC) Tuna-Dolphin
Program have gathered information on floating objects since 1987.
They keep records of all floating objects observed, and, when a