OF PLASTIC LITTER IN THE OCEAN IMO FAO UNESCO IOC WMO UNIDO IAEA UN UN ENVIRONMENT ISA UNDP Notes: GESAMP is an advisory body consisting of specialized experts nominated by the Sponsoring Agencies -13*%392)7'3-3'92-(3;13-%)%9292)492(4 -XWTVMRGMTEPXEWOMWXSTVSZMHIWGMIRXMƤGEHZMGIGSRGIVRMRKXLI TVIZIRXMSRVIHYGXMSRERHGSRXVSPSJXLIHIKVEHEXMSRSJXLIQEVMRIIRZMVSRQIRXXSXLIɄ7TSRWSVMRK%KIRGMIW The report contains views expressed or endorsed by members of GESAMP who act in their individual capacities; their views may not necessarily correspond with those of the Sponsoring Agencies. Permission may be granted by any of the Sponsoring Agencies for the report to be wholly or partially reproduced in publication by any individual who is not a staff member of a Sponsoring Agency of GESAMP, provided that the source of the extract and the condition mentioned above are indicated. Information about GESAMP and its reports and studies can be found at: http://gesamp.org ISSN 1020-4873 (GESAMP Reports & Studies Series) Copyright © IMO, FAO, UNESCO-IOC, UNIDO, WMO, IAEA, UN, UNEP, UNDP, ISA 2019 For bibliographic purposes this document should be cited as: GESAMP (2019). Guidelines or the monitoring and assessment of plastic litter and microplastics in the ocean (Kershaw P.J., Turra A. and Galgani F. editors), (IMO/FAO/UNESCO-IOC/UNIDO/WMO/IAEA/UN/UNEP/UNDP/ISA Joint Group of Experts on XLI7GMIRXMƤG%WTIGXWSJ1EVMRI)RZMVSRQIRXEP4VSXIGXMSR 6IT7XYH+)7%142ST Editors Peter Kershawa, Alexander Turrab and Francois Galganic Working Group members Akbar Tahir, Alexander Turra, Amy Lusher, Chris Wilcox, Denise Hardesty, Francois Galgani, Hideshige Takada, Marcus Erikson, Martin Hassellov, Martin Thiel, Peter Kershaw, Sang Hee Hong, Sheri (Sam) Mason, Weiwei Zhang and Won Joon Shim Observers %Q]9LVMR 23%% ,IRVMO)RIZSPHWIR -3' .SERE%OVSƤ 92)4 ERH,IMHM7EZIPPM7SRHIVFIVK 92)4 Disclaimer: The guidance and recommendations provided in this report are intended for use by competent bodies and their employees operating within the customs, norms and laws of their respective countries. Collectively, GESAMP, the report editors and report contributors do not accept any liability resulting from the use of these guidelines. Users are encouraged to follow appropriate health and safety provisions and adopt safe working practices for working in and around the marine environment and in follow-up sample processing and analysis, especially, but not limited to: sampling from vessels at sea, diving operations, Published by United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Printed by 9RMXIH2EXMSRW3JƤGI2EMVSFM 9232 4YFPMWLMRK7IVZMGIW7IGXMSR?)17-73'IVXMƤIHA Layout: Eugene Papa - UNON, Publishing Services Section Cover photo: © O.DUGORNAY/IFREMER ISSN: 1020-4873 Copyright © IMO, FAO, UNESCO-IOC, UNIDO, WMO, IAEA, UN, UN Environment, UNDP, ISA 2019 Since the 1950s, when large-scale production of plastics began, an incresing proportion of solid waste in the ocean has consisted of this material, representeing up to 80% of marine litter found in surveys (UNEP, 2016) — ಄ΑΓҾ༻