IMPACTS OF PLASTIC DEBRIS ON AUSTRALIAN MARINE WILDLIFEFINAL REPORTC&R Consulting for The Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts Date: 19th June 2009IMPORTANT NOTEThe views and opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the Australian Government or the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts or the Minister for Climate Change and Water.While reasonable efforts have been made to ensure that the contents of this publication are factually correct, the Commonwealth does not accept responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of the contents, and shall not be liable for any loss or damage that may be occasioned directly or indirectly through the use of, or reliance on, the contents of this publication.No part of this document may be reproduced without written permission from the Clients and C&R Consulting Pty Ltd. If this report is to form part of a larger study, or is a response to a “Request for Additional Information” from a Compliance Agency, this report must be included as an Appendix within the full report without any additions, deletions or amendments.C&R Consulting Pty Ltd do not accept any responsibility in relation to any financial and/or business decisions made for any other property or development other than that for which this information has been provided. _Dr Chris CuffDirector23 June 2009_Date_Dr Cecily RasmussenDirector23 June 2009_DateAuthor: Daniela M. Ceccarelli, C&R ConsultingMapping: Ben Cuff, C&R ConsultingInternal Review: Dr Cecily Rasmussen & Lyndall Harvey, C&R ConsultingFront Cover Photo: Marine Turtles entangled in derelict fishing net. Torres Strait Regional Authority. Supplied by Mark Read, GBRMPAPreferred Citation: Ceccarelli, D. M. 2009. Impacts of plastic debris on Australian marine wildlife. Report by C&R Consulting for the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts.SUMMARY OF RELEVANT INFORMATIONProject TitleImpacts of plastic debris on Australian marine wildlifeLocationAll Australian watersProject PurposeReview available records on interactions between plastic debris and Australian marine wildlifeNominated RepresentativeLorraine HitchAgencyDEWHAPostal AddressGPO Box 787Canberra ACT 2601Telephone02 6274 1592Fax:02 6274 2455EmailLorraine.Hitchenvironment.gov.auSurvey Undertaken by:C&R Consulting - Dr. Daniela Ceccarelli Acknowledgements:See Acknowledgements Section1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARYPlastic debris is a pervasive problem throughout the worlds oceans, and various governments worldwide have officially recognised the importance of managing this issue. In response, efforts to define, monitor and reduce the problem of plastic debris in the sea are increasing, especially as it poses significant risks to protected species. This study is a first attempt at compiling available data on interactions between plastic debris and marine wildlife in Australian waters. The geographic extent of the study included all Australian waters, including offshore and sub-Antarctic islands and Australian Antarctic Territories. The types of impacts from plastic debris include primarily entanglement and ingestions. This report provides an indication of the frequency, geographic extent, general magnitude and other details of these interactions and presents a summary of the impacts of plastic debris (including lost or discarded fishing equipment) on Australian marine wildlife. The earliest available record of these impacts was from 1974, and the most recent records were from June of 2008.This study was prepared with information obtained from available publications, raw data and database extracts, media reports and anecdotal evidence wherever available. However, there is a paucity of information in Australia and an absence of any national, standardised database, data recording or reporting system that allows a comprehensive assessment of the interactions between plastic debris and marine wildlife. As a consequence, the magnitude of impacts of plastic debris on marine wildlife is difficult to determine.Available information indicates that at least 77 species of marine wildlife found in Australian waters have been impacted by entanglement in, or ingestion of, plastic debris during the last three and a half decades (1974-2008). The affected species include six species of marine turtles, 12 species of cetaceans, at least 34 species of seabirds, dugongs, six species of pinnipeds, at least 10 species of sharks and rays, and at least eight other species groups. Most records of impacts of plastic debris on wildlife relate to entanglement, rather than ingestion. However, the rate of ingesti