Accumulation of stranded plastic objects and other artefacts at Inaccessible Island, central South Atlantic Ocean

A significant increase of 47% in stranded artefacts, particularly plastic objects (65%), was observed at Inaccessible Island between 1984 and 1987, with distant-source artefacts rising by at least 120%. This suggests a recent surge in debris adrift in the South Atlantic Ocean. The study surveyed a 900 m boulder beach using a repeated sampling method to quantify macro-artefacts (>10 mm diameter), revealing minimum accumulation rates of 88 objects per km per year. Local fishery-related artefacts showed minimal increase, contrasting with the sharp rise in distant-source debris, highlighting broader oceanographic trends.

Ryan, P.G. and B.P. Watkins. (1988). Accumulation of stranded plastic objects and other artefacts at Inaccessible Island, central South Atlantic Ocean. Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR). https://doi.org/10.60761/CCAMLR-VII/BG/04