Marine Debris in India: Quantifying Type and Abundance of Beach Litter Along Chennai, East Coast of India

Abstract

Though numerous studies on marine debris are conducted with an emphasis on analyzing the composition, quantification, and distribution on beaches around the globe, studies are still restricted to some areas of the coast, and the quantities and the spatiotemporal patterns are unknown for the Indian Coastline. NOAA Marine Debris Program methodology was used to collect and quantify various debris along the two beaches in Chennai, East coast of India. On four occasions, debris were collected and were categorized according to the type, quantity, and source. The results demonstrate that the shoreline and recreational activities to be the major source of beach debris. Also, the results show a strong correlation between coastal activities and debris type, and this difference in debris sources explain the importance of framing different management and prevention strategies at different beaches. The study highlights the requirement to establish long-term monitoring protocols, to address the existing knowledge gap on marine debris impacts on the Indian coastline.