Marine debris threat and risk assessment

Our scientists have worked with other researchers to identify what types of marine debris are the greatest threats to our marine environment.

Key findings of marine debris risk assessment.

The Marine Debris Threat and Risk Assessment has been a collaborative effort involving our scientists, academic researchers and a marine debris working group of experts in the field.

This work has:

  • identified marine debris items that pose the greatest threats to our marine wildlife and social or community values of our marine estate
  • identified which animal groups and social values are at the highest risk of harm from marine debris
  • prioritised debris items to help focus actions to reduce the main impacts caused by marine debris
  • recommended the findings be well-communicated to stakeholders, be used in government decision making, and underlie any future strategic research and management planning
  • led to a summary report, which includes an overview of the assessment and its key findings, plus 2 supplementary background documents.

The research was conducted as part of the water quality initiative in the Marine Estate Management Strategy.