| Summary: | Verkefnið er lokað til 30.6.2014. Marine debris is a growing problem, which adversely affects ecosystems and economies world-wide. Studies based on a standardized approach to examine the quantity of marine debris are lacking at many locations, including Iceland. In the present study, 26 transects were established on six different bays in the north, west and south of the nature reserve Hornstrandir in Iceland, following the standardized approach developed by the OSPAR Commission. Results showed that 95.4% of all debris items consisted of plastic. On average, 104 debris items were found in 100 x 10 m transects with an average weight of 10.4 kg. Based on those findings it was calculated that approximately 32,600 litter items, having a weight of approximately 4300 kg are polluting the north, south and west coasts of the nature reserve Hornstrandir. Indicator items were used to trace industrial origins of debris, identifying the fishing industry as the main contributor to the pollution. Labels and types of fishing gear found, indicated that the major proportion of marine debris was coming from Icelandic industries. Management recommendations are based on the analysis of effective management practices in other countries and the circumstances in Iceland. As a result, enforcement of the use of biodegradable fishing gear is seen as the best long-term solution. Additional measures like gear marking and deposit systems, improvement of port reception facilities, education and beach cleanups are also recommended. Rusl í hafi er vaxandi vandamál sem getur haft slæm áhrif á vistkerfi og efnahagskerfi heimsins. Víða er skortur á stöðluðum rannsóknum sem meta magn rusl í hafi sem rekur á land og á þetta einnig við um Ísland. Í rannsókninni sem kynnt er hér var aðferðarfræði OSPAR fylgt og voru mynduð 26 snið í sex mismunandi fjörum við norðanverðar, vestanverðar og sunnanverðar Hornstrandir og rusl metið í þessum sniðum. Niðurstöðurnar sýndu að 95.4% rusls var plast. Að meðaltali fundust 104 hlutir í hverju 100 x 10 m sniði ...
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