Overview of Marine Plastic Pollution in the Moroccan Mediterranean

Abstract

Plastic debris has become the main component of marine litter in the Moroccan Mediterranean due to the massive consumption of plastic and poor plastic waste management. In Morocco, plastic pollution has been a subject of increasing environmental concern in the last few years. This literature review was conducted to collect current data on plastic pollution in the Moroccan Mediterranean, considering the presence of marine debris as well as macroplastics and microplastics in different compartments. Our study shows that, until now, very few studies have been carried out and there is a lack of information, especially on the prevalence of plastic debris in the water environment, sea floor, and aquatic animals. In general, plastic is the most predominant waste on the beaches of the Moroccan Mediterranean, always contributing to more than 50% of the total composition of the waste encountered. Based on the records, tourism, recreational activities, and fishing are one of the main sources of plastic accumulation in the Moroccan Mediterranean. This was due to a lack of awareness among beach users. Awareness and behavior change is key to minimizing plastic waste on Morocco's beaches and coasts. In addition, all aspects of waste management must be improved. The beaches of the Moroccan Mediterranean have also been contaminated by microplastics. A significant positive correlation was also observed between human population density and industrial activity on microplastic abundance. Microplastic has only been found in a few commercial fish species and sea turtles, but more work will be needed in the future.