Scientists have recorded a lot of microplastics in fish in remote areas of the Pacific Ocean

A recent study led by Jasha Dehm, a researcher at the University of the South Pacific, showed that about a third of the fish found in Pacific island countries and territories contain microplastics. Scientists have recorded the highest level of pollution in the Fiji region. This was reported on February 3 by Science Daily magazine.

To address the lack of research in this area, the researchers analyzed data on 878 coastal fish representing 138 species caught in fishing communities in Fiji, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu. On average, about one third of the fish contain at least one particle of microplastic, but the results vary significantly from island to island.

Fiji showed the highest levels of pollution: almost 75% of fish contain microplastics, which is significantly higher than the global average of 49%. Despite this, the actual amount of plastic in each fish was very low. In contrast, only 5% of the fish caught in Vanuatu showed traces of microplastic contamination.

The research team also investigated why some fish are more susceptible to absorbing microplastics. Using a global database of fish, the scientists analyzed how environmental factors (diet, feeding behavior, and habitat) influenced pollution levels.

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Fish associated with reefs or living on the seabed are more likely to accumulate microplastics compared to those found in lagoons or the open ocean. Higher levels of pollution were also observed in species that feed on invertebrates or those that use an ambush strategy to capture prey.

The results of the study highlight how widespread microplastic pollution has become, reaching even the most remote marine ecosystems. Scientists believe that higher levels of pollution in Fiji may be due to high population density, active coastal development and insufficient waste management system.

"The consistent pattern of high levels of pollution of reef species in different territories confirms that environmental characteristics are key determinants of impact, and national differences highlight the inability of existing waste management systems (or lack thereof) to protect even remote island ecosystems," Dehm emphasized.

On January 31, Medical Xpress magazine reported on the ineffectiveness of plastic recycling. Experts called the reduction of the amount of "unnecessary" plastic the most effective measure to avoid pollution. Megan Dini, the lead author of the study from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, noted that states can act at the national level to address this global problem.

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