Beach debris survey – Main Bay, Bird Island, South Georgia 1998/99

The ninth year of surveys of beach man-made debris at Bird Island, South Georgia revealed a total of 213 items, 51% less than the total of 430 items in 1997/98 and the second lowest total noted. The winter (April - September) total was 66 % lower than in 1997/98 and is the lowest total since 1990. The number of items collected in the summer was 172, a decrease of 45% from the 1997/98 total of 310. Nylon line, identical to that attached to longline gear, accounted for 51 % of items.The lower levels of debris collected in the winter months is encouraging although the totals of summer debris still remain at least three times the level of the early 1990's and provide continued cause for concern, suggesting that CCAMLR needs to enhance its campaign to reduce the amount of man-made debris being jettisoned into the Southern Ocean.