Bibliographic Citation
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| Title | Man-made marine debris and sea turtle strandings on beaches of the upper Texas and southwestern Louisiana coasts, June 1987 through September 1989. Technical memo |
| Creator/Author | Duronslet, M.J. ; Revera, D.B. ; Stanley, K.M. |
| Publication Date | 1991 Feb 01 |
| OSTI Identifier | OSTI ID: 6164528 |
| Report Number(s) | PB-92-101732/XAB; NOAA-TM-NMFS-SEFC--279 |
| Resource Type | Technical Report |
| Research Org | National Marine Fisheries Service, Galveston, TX (United States). Galveston Lab. |
| Subject | 54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES; 63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.; LOUISIANA; WATER POLLUTION; TEXAS; TURTLES; BIOLOGICAL STRESS; COASTAL REGIONS; ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS; INGESTION; MARINE DISPOSAL; MORTALITY; PLASTICS; POLYSTYRENE; TAR; WOOD WASTES; ANIMALS; DEVELOPED COUNTRIES; FEDERAL REGION VI; INTAKE; MANAGEMENT; MATERIALS; NORTH AMERICA; ORGANIC COMPOUNDS; ORGANIC POLYMERS; OTHER ORGANIC COMPOUNDS; PETROCHEMICALS; PETROLEUM PRODUCTS; POLLUTION; POLYMERS; POLYOLEFINS; POLYVINYLS; REPTILES; SOLID WASTES; SYNTHETIC MATERIALS; USA; VERTEBRATES; WASTE DISPOSAL; WASTE MANAGEMENT; WASTES |
| Description/Abstract | The upper Texas and southwestern Louisiana coastlines were divided into six sampling zones to survey the amounts, types and rates of accumulation of man-made marine debris, the number of sea turtle strandings, the incidence of sea turtle entanglements in marine debris and the incidence of ingestion of such debris by sea turtles. From June 1987 through September 1989, 473 sample plots were examined for marine debris. Significant differences were detected in mean number of debris items per 100 sq m of beach sampled by year, zone and month. Significant differences in mean weight of debris items per 100 sq m of beach sampled were detected by month and zone. Both number and weights (per 100 sq m) of debris were lowest in the winter months. Number per 100 sq m was greatest in August while weight per 100 sq m peaked in May. Tar balls and plastic items were the most frequently encountered marine debris items. Wooden items had the highest average weights while tar balls and polystyrene foam were the lightest items collected. A total of 171 sea turtles stranded on the surveyed beaches during the study. Of 26 gastrointestinal tracts examined, 16 had ingested some form of man-made debris. Six turtles were entangled in man-made debris and 9 were live stranded. |
| Country of Publication | United States |
| Language | English |
| Format | Medium: X; Size: Pages: (52 p) |
| Availability | NTIS |
| System Entry Date | 2008 Feb 07 |
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