Poster abstracts and manuscripts from the Third International ...

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indicating the high rate of discardation of debris in the ocean.
A high (59 percent) of debris was made up of items identified as
harmful to wildlife by this Department and the United States
Parks and Wildlife Service (Manski et al. 1991). The most
frequently occurring and widespread of all debris items was
fishing rope (13.25 percent), 50 percent of which was identified
from the trawl fishing industry. Trawl net offcuts currently
account for 60 percent of entanglements of Australian. fur seals
in Tasmanian waters (Kirkwood et al. 1992). Plastic strapping
bands comprised three percent of entanglement debris in the first
two years of the survey but have declined to 1.8 percent since
1992. This could be attributed to the change of bait packaging
now being used by the fishing industry.
Of domestic debris items, by far the most frequently occurring
items are plastic bags and sheeting which comprise thirteen
percent of the total debris. This figure has remained constant
over the past four years, despite widespread public awareness
campaigns, plastic bags continue to increase as a major packaging
medium in the community.
Statewide, there has been an overall slight decrease of ten
percent of plastic debris over the past four years and a 40
percent decline of non-plastic. bottles and cans. However there
has been a 20 percent increase, of foreign source plastic debris,
predominantly of Japanese origin on our most remote coastlines.
A comprehensive education program has evolved with the survey
program resulting in the growth of Australia's first fully
integrated scientific and educational program on marine debris.
Achievements have been:
l The first statewide marine debris study for any Australian
state
l Scientific study of entanglements and ingestion of marine
debris in marine fauna.
l An educationprogram which has targeted the fishing industry
and associated manufacturers; the Judiciary and the wider
community through community participation in the marine debris
surveys; television advertising, publications, stickers and
posters; regular media reports; input to Fishing Industry
Training courses; and the development and implementation of
school marine debris science projects;
l The first prosecution under MARPOL V 73/78 legislation for
Australia
l Contribution of data to the International Maritime
Organization; CMC (USA); Commonwealth fisheries management and
the Japanese fishing industry and government.
Pre- and post MAPPOL V 73/78 ratification data so that
monitoring of this legislation could be undertaken.
l A major redesign of fishbait cartons to reduce strapping,
bands, and the subsequent local reduction of entanglement of
marine mammals in this debris.
The results of the Tasmanian study and the relationship of this
data to both international surveys and other parts of Australia,
and the possible effects of the education programs and
legislation on the quantity and types of debris will be discussed
in this paper.