Marine litter pollution on the Northern Island of the Novaya Zemlya archipelago

Abstract This study focused on the identification and classification of marine litter on four different shores of the uninhabited Northern Island of the Novaya Zemlya archipelago (Russian Federation). Using the methodology of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD), beach sections of 100 m in length were selected and marine litter items larger than 2.5 cm were collected and classified into nine material categories. A total of 376 marine litter items were collected from the four study areas, corresponding to a density of 1.5 × 103 items/km2. Eighty-eight percent of debris was plastic. Marine litter was brought to the shores by major ocean currents, potentially affecting local ecosystems.