Methods applied in studies of benthic marine debris

The ocean floor is one of the main accumulation sites of marine debris. The study of this kind of debris still lags behind that of shorelines. It is necessary to identify the methods used to evaluate this debris and how the results are presented and interpreted. From the available literature on benthic marine debris (26 studies), six sampling methods were registered: bottom trawl net, sonar, submersible, snorkeling, scuba diving and manta tow. The most frequent method used was bottom trawl net, followed by the three methods of diving. The majority of the debris was classified according to their former use and the results usually expressed as items per unity of area. To facilitate comparisons of the contamination levels among sites and regions some standardization requirements are suggested.