1Marine Litter Regional Action Plan

Regional Action Plan for Prevention and Management of Marine Litterin the North-East Atlantic
This Regional Action Plan (RAP) sets out the policy context for OSPAR’s work on marine litter,describes the various types of actions that OSPAR will work on over the coming years and provides atimetable to guide the achievement of these actions.
The RAP is organised in four sections:
SECTION I follows the brief introduction below and sets the objectives, the geographical scope,principles and approaches that should frame implementation.
SECTION II presents the actions to be implemented. The actions have been grouped in four themes
as follows: A. the reduction of litter from sea-based sources and B. the reduction of litter from landbased sources, C. the removal of existing litter from the marine environment and D. education andoutreach on the topic of marine litter.
SECTION III describes the necessary monitoring and assessment.
SECTION IV outlines how the plan will be implemented and followed up by OSPAR.

2© Eleanor Partridge/Marine Photobank

Marine Litter
Marine litter covers any solid material which has been deliberately discarded, or unintentionally lost on beaches
and on shores or at sea, including materials transported into the marine environment from land by rivers, draining
or sewage systems or winds. It includes any persistent, manufactured or processed solid material. Marine litter
originates from different sea- and land-based sources and is largely based on the prevailing production andconsumption pattern.
Marine litter consists of a wide range of materials, including plastic, metal, wood, rubber, glass and paper.
Although the relative proportions of these materials vary regionally, there is clear evidence that plastic litter is
by far the most abundant type. In some locations plastics make up 90 % of marine litter of shorelines. A similar
predominance of plastics is reported from sampling at the sea surface and on the seabed.
Most plastics are extremely durable materials and persist in the marine environment for a considerable period,
possibly as much as hundreds of years. However, plastics also deteriorate and fragment in the environment as aconsequence of exposure to sunlight (photo-degradation) in addition to physical and chemical deterioration. This
breakdown of larger items results in numerous tiny plastic fragments, which, when smaller than 5mm arecalled secondary micro plastics. Other micro plastics that can be found in the marine environment are categorised
as primary micro plastics due to the fact that they are produced either for direct use, such as for industrial
abrasives or cosmetics or for indirect use, such as pre-production pellets or nurdles.
Marine litter is not only an aesthetic problem but incurs socioeconomic costs, threatens human health and safety
and impacts on marine organisms. It is broadly documented that entanglement in, or ingestion of, marine litter
can have negative consequences on the physical condition of marine animals and even lead to death. Ingestion of
micro plastics is also of concern as it may provide a pathway for transport of harmful chemicals into the food web.
Additionally, marine litter is known to damage and degrade habitats (e.g. in terms of smothering) and to be apossible vector for the transfer of alien species.

The problem

The large majority of biodegradable plastics can only biodegrade under specific conditions of constanttemperature and humidity in industrial composting installations. Therefore they do not degrade in a reasonable
time when entering the marine environment as litter. Moreover, many biodegradable plastics may not degrade in
the intestines of marine species. Hence injury and starvation are likely to remain issues.

© David Cayless/Marine Photobank

3Background to the PlanOSPAR Ministers declared in 2010: “We note that quantities of litter in many areas of the North-East Atlantic areunacceptable, and therefore we will continue to develop reduction measures and targets, taking into
consideration an ambitious target resulting in a reduction in 2020” (Bergen Statement). The OSPAR objective withregard to marine litter, as laid down in the Strategy for the protection of the Marine Environment of the NorthEast Atlantic for the years 2010-2020, is “to substantially reduce marine litter in the OSPAR maritime area tolevels where properties and quantities do not cause harm to the marine environment”. The OSPAR objective andthis RAP are supportive of the Rio+20 global commitment to “take action to, by 2025, based on collectedscientific data, achieve significant reductions in marine debris to prevent harm to the coastal and marine
environment” in the “The Future We Want” and with the 2013 UNGA resolution A/RES/68/70 in which States
noted concern on marine debris.
The OSPAR objective is also in line with the definition of Descriptor 10 of the Marine Strategy Framework
Directive, where Good Environmental Status can be seen to be achieved, when “Properties and quantities ofmarine litter do not cause harm to the coastal and marine environment. It will also support the achievement of
an EU-wide “quantitative reduction headline target” for marine litter, as agreed in the 7th Environment Action
Programme.
OSPAR 2013 agreed to develop a Regional Action Plan for Marine Litter by 2014. The sources of marine litterare diverse and ocean dynamics turn it into a transboundary issue requiring collective action. Therefore, OSPAR
examined the feasibility of developing a Regional Action Plan to implement the commitments in the North-East
Atlantic Environment Strategy as well as to coordinate actions to deliver Good Environmental Status across the
MSFD descriptors. Moreover, the RAP is contributing to the UNEP and GPA Global Partnership on Marine Litter, a
global framework for prevention and management of marine debris, and the Honolulu Strategy developed at the
5th International Marine Debris Conference. In that sense, the RAP for prevention and management of marine
litter can be seen as an exemplar for regional effort supporting multiple regional and global commitments.

Background to the RAPThis RAP emerged from a series of workshops, coordinated by Germany as lead country, involving relevant
expertise from the public and private sectors, academics and non-governmental organisations and under a
dedicated OSPAR intersessional correspondence group on marine litter (ICG-ML). Through this process OSPAR
also actively contributed to the International Conference on Prevention and Management of Marine Litter inEuropean Seas held in Berlin in April 2013.

4

Following the agreement of OSPAR 2013 this RAP and Implementation Plan aims to deliver thefollowing elements:a.

a focus on specific sources or items of marine litter that are of most concern in each OSPAR
region or the OSPAR maritime area as a whole;b.

the development of regional measures, taking into account the socioeconomic aspects 		
including cost effectiveness, for reducing the input of marine litter from sea-based 		and land-based sources, and for removing litter from the marine environment. These
measures should be based on an assessment of the OSPAR Marine Litter Checklist, the 		measures identified at the Berlin Conference and any existing and new initiatives within 		
Contracting Parties;c.

regionally coordinated SMART reduction/operational targets, including those linked to 		sources, taking into account the MSFD targets submitted by EU Member State Contracting
Parties to the European Commission;d.

monitoring and necessary arrangements required to assess progress towards reaching thetargets, taking into account any outputs from the EU Technical Group Marine Litter, and 		
including the work in progress for the MSFD monitoring programmes;e.

cooperation with other relevant regional and international organisations, including Regional
Seas.

Background cont...
The OSPAR Regional Action Plan for prevention and management of Marine Litter in the North-East Atlantic has
been adopted by OSPAR Contracting Parties as an OSPAR Other Agreement. The Regional Action Plan is designed
as a flexible tool providing a set of actions to address marine litter. It contains actions requiring collective activity
within the framework of the OSPAR Commission through, where applicable, OSPAR measures (i.e. Decisions orRecommendations) and/or other agreements such as guidelines.
Other actions listed are those that Contracting Parties should consider in their national programmes of measures,
including under the Marine Strategy Framework Directive. The approach regarding these national actions is basedaround the core principle that the RAP allows Contracting Parties to identify which of the measures and actions
listed they have already taken forward (e.g. as a result of existing or planned national or European legislation orother initiatives) and consider others needed to further combat marine litter. It therefore provides guidance toContracting Parties and a framework for regional cooperation.
Finally, a third category of actions that address issues that fall under the competence of other internationalorganisations and competent authorities.

© Grace Foley/Marine Photobank© Alberto Romeo/Marine Photobank© Caroline Curtis

5© Elaine Blum 2009/Marine Photobank

SECTION I: Objectives & Scope
The main objectives of the RAP are to:
•
•
•
•
•

Prevent and reduce marine litter pollution in the North-East Atlantic and its impact on marine organisms,
habitats, public health and safety and reduce the socioeconomic costs it causes;
Remove litter from the marine environment where practical and feasible;
Enhance knowledge and awareness on marine litter;
Support Contracting Parties in the development, implementation and coordination of their programmes forlitter reduction, including those for the implementation of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive.
Develop management approaches to marine litter that are consistent with accepted international
approaches

The role of the RAP ML is to:••••

Coordinate work to improve the evidence base on the impacts of litter on the marine environment;
Establish a range of measures and actions, identifying gaps and opportunities where OSPAR can add value
through its marine focus. This should take into account existing activities;
Be a framework under which Contracting Parties can identify where a regional approach can add value tothe actions of individual Contracting Parties, including in relation to their implementation of the Marine 		Strategy Framework Directive, where appropriate;
Promote reporting by Contracting Parties to OSPAR regarding their progress and cooperation in a mannerconsistent with obligations under the Marine Strategy Framework Directive, where appropriate.

Area of application

6

I

II

V

III

IV

Region I – Arctic Waters
Region II – Greater North Sea
Region III – Celtic Seas
Region IV – Bay of Biscay and Iberian Coast
Region V – Wider Atlantic

Objectives & Scope

The Regional Action Plan targets litter discharges from sea-based and land-based sources as well as litter which isalready present in the marine environment and applies to the whole OSPAR maritime area:

SECTION I cont...Guiding principles
The key principles that should guide action to address marine litter are: the precautionary principle and the polluter
pays principle, as described in Article 2(2) of the OSPAR Convention, as well as the aim to adopt programmes andmeasures designed to prevent and eliminate pollution (Art. 2 (3) (a and b):
The precautionary principle: “by virtue of which preventive measures are to be taken when there are reasonablegrounds for concern that substances or energy introduced, directly or indirectly, into the marine environment may
bring about hazards to human health, harm living resources and marine ecosystems, damage amenities or interferewith other legitimate uses of the sea, even when there is no conclusive evidence of a causal relationship between the
inputs and the effects; “ (Article 2 (2) (a) OSPAR Convention);
The polluter pays principle: “by virtue of which the costs of pollution prevention, control and reduction measures areto be borne by the polluter” (Art. 2(2) (b) OSPAR Convention). Additionally there are other approaches that should
help guide interpretation and decision-making on the implementation of actions within the framework of the RAP.
These approaches are not legal formulations, but should help frame the development of measures.
Integration: marine litter management should be an integral part of the solid waste management to ensure
environmentally sound management of human activities and rational use of resources;
The ecosystem approach: the comprehensive integrated management of human activities based on the best
available scientific knowledge about the ecosystem and its dynamics, in order to identify and take action on
influences which are critical to the health of the marine ecosystems, thereby achieving sustainable use of ecosystem
goods and services and maintenance of ecosystems;
Public participation and stakeholder involvement: to create awareness about the problem of marine litter and ensure
a sense of public ownership in order to build support for relevant measures;
Sustainable consumption and production: the use of goods and services that respond to basic needs and bring abetter quality of life, while minimising the use of natural resources, toxic materials and emissions of waste andpollutants over the life cycle;

Principles & Cooperation

Best available knowledge and socioeconomic effectiveness: actions and operational targets should be based on
available knowledge of the predominant amounts, materials, items and sources of marine litter found in the NorthEast Atlantic and take into account the social and economic costs of degradation compared to the cost and benefitsof proposed measures.

Cooperation with other organisations and competent authorities
Cross-sectorial cooperation is very important in order to reduce marine litter in the OSPAR maritime area. The
Regional Action Plan on Marine Litter should therefore be implemented in close cooperation with other relevant
regional and global organisations and initiatives, including UNEP and other Regional Seas Conventions, theInternational Maritime Organisation, the Convention on Biological Diversity, the European Union, Fisheries Regional
Advisory Councils, North East Atlantic Fisheries Commission and River and River Basin Commissions. Partnerships
with the private sector and with non-governmental organisations should also be part of the working approach.
Appropriate arrangements should be developed to exchange relevant information and to address significant
transboundary marine litter issues. Contracting Parties should cooperate directly to address transboundary marine
litter issues, with the assistance of the OSPAR Secretariat or the competent international or regional organisation.
Where countries are Contracting Parties of more than one relevant organisation they should endeavour to coordinate
internally to raise the appropriate issues in those fora.

7© Chamberlain/Marine Photobank

SECTION II: Actions
This section identifies a number of actions in conformity with the objectives and principles of the RAP, informedby the findings on main items, materials, amounts and sources of marine litter. Section II is divided into four
themes: A) actions to combat sea-based and B) combat land-based sources of marine litter; C) actions for theremoval of existing litter from the marine environment and D) actions for education and outreach on the topic ofmarine litter. Smarter production is treated as an integral theme.
The majority of the actions, as outlined in section II are those actions at a regional level with a large-scale, widespread and transboundary character. Coordination on these kinds of actions is the key aim of the OSPAR RAP.
Additionally some of the actions aim for information exchange and coordination of measures that are primarily ofnational concern and responsibility of Contracting Parties. In other cases where it is considered that appropriate
action might be taken by the EU or other international organisations (such as Fisheries organisations), actions areformulated to approach those bodies/authorities through OSPAR. Annex I includes an Implementation Plan withtimelines and lead countries for the development of OSPAR measures.
OSPAR Contracting Parties which are also EU Member States should consider including the actions set out in the
RAP ML in their EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive programmes of measures. OSPAR in this respect willserve as an exchange platform for gaining and sharing information on technical, economic and policy aspects ofsuch measures and the effects they have on the marine environment.
The following actions are expressed in a way to differentiate between those which require a cross-regional joint
action through OSPAR, including some which require OSPAR to address other international organisations, andothers which are primarily within the remit of Contracting Parties.
This RAP does not pre-determine which of the “OSPAR actions” should ultimately take the form of OSPAR
measures (Recommendations, Decisions) or other agreements, including guidelines, adopted within theframework of the Convention. However the Implementation Plan presented in Annex I will be updated on aregular basis to show where Contracting Parties have agreed to develop OSPAR measures. Development ofregional measures will follow the accepted OSPAR procedure, including lead country responsibility and productionof background document(s) outlining the rationale for OSPAR action, costs and benefits, best practices,
cooperation etc.

OSPAR Collective Actions
The following actions have been identified, on the basis of the evidence gathered in the development of this plan,
which will be updated through the Joint Assessment and Monitoring Programme (JAMP) (See Section III), as thosethat require joint regional effort. Therefore Contracting Parties, acting collectively within the framework of the
OSPAR Commission will develop and implement the actions detailed in the tables starting on page 9.
In order to fulfil the commitments made in the North-East Atlantic Environment Strategy and at OSPAR 2013 anaction of this RAP will be to develop and agree regionally coordinated SMART reduction/operational targets linked
to relevant actions as listed in the implementation plan, starting from 2015, including those linked to sources.
OSPAR targets will take into account the Marine Strategy Framework Directive targets submitted by EU Member
States and the 7th EU Environmental Action Programme marine litter target. Likewise OSPAR targets will also
inform MSFD Targets and will contribute to the further implementation of the Directive.

Actions

The Actions, outlined in the tables starting on page 9 are divided into 4 themes

8

THEME A:

Actions to combat sea-based sources of marine litter

THEME B:

Actions to combat land-based sources of Marine Litter

THEME C:

Removal Action

THEME D:

Education and Outreach

OSPAR ACTIONSThis table sets out the planned implementation for common actions OSPAR Contracting Parties will take to combat
marine litter in the North East Atlantic.
Details include the expected target date for the implemented action and the lead countries/orgaisations fordeveloping the work where this is known.
As an implementation plan this table is by definition an evolving document subject to annual review.

RAP §
no.

ACTION

Lead Party /Pares

Implementaon
Year

29

Developandagree
regionally
coordinated SMART
reducon/operaonal targets linked to relevant acons as
contained in this implementaon plan, starng from 2015,
including those linked to sources.

OSPAR Lier
Expert Group(ICG-ML)To be decided at
ICG-ML

Ensure regional coordinaon on the implementaon of EU
Direcve 2000/59/EC in relaon to MARPOL Annex V ship
generated waste. Such coordinaon could:

Belgium,
Germany,
Netherlands,

2017a) deliver a cost recovery system, ensuring the maximum
amount of MARPOL Annex V ship generated waste is delivered toport recepon facilies;

With assistancefrom Seas at Risk.

The following Acons are listed in the Regional Acon Plan.
Numbers refer to paragraph numbers in the Acon Plan.

Theme A: Acons to combat sea-based source
Harmonised system for port recepon facilies30b) not solely focus on recepon facilies, but also otherrelevant differences;c)analyse the implementaon of compulsory discharge of
waste in each port for all ships leaving the OSPAR marime areafor non-EU ports, in line with EU Direcve 2000/59/EC.

OSPAR Actions

31

OSPAR will assist the European Commission in the ongoing
revision of EU Direcve 2000/59/EC.

Sweden andGermany, withassistance fromSeas at Risk andthe Secretariat.

2014

9

© Thomas Hallerman / Marine Photobank

Enforcement of internaonal legislaon/regulaon regarding
all sectors
32

Idenfy best pracce in relaon to inspecons for MARPOL
Annex V ship generated waste, including beer management of1
reporng data, taking into consideraon the Paris MOU on port
state control.

33

Seek the dialogue with the Paris MOU to take the risk of illegal
waste discharges into consideraon for the priorisaon of port
state control inspecons.

Tbc ICG-ML

2016

Incenves for responsible behaviour/disincenves for li ering
34

Improve implementaon of the ISO standard 201070:2013 inrelaon to port recepon facilies.

Belgium andNetherlands

2016

35

Idenfy the opons to address key waste items from the fishingindustry and aquaculture, which could contribute to marinelier, including deposit schemes, voluntary agreements andextended producer responsibility.

France, Belgium
and EU, withparcipaon from
Portugal

2015

OSPAR Actions

Develop best pracce in relaon to fishing industry
Through a mulnaonal project, together with the fishingindustry and competent authories develop and promote bestpracce in relaon to marine lier. All relevant aspects2(including e.g. dolly rope , waste management on board, waste
management at harbours and operaonal losses/net cungs)
should be included.

Sweden and theUnited Kingdom,with parcipaonof Germany, theNetherlands andNorway2016

37

Invesgate the prevalence and impact of dolly rope (synthecfibre). Engage with competent authories (such as Naonal
Authories, EU, North East Atlanc Fisheries Commission, etc.)
and the fishing industry in order to work together to reduce thewaste generated by dolly rope on a (sub) regional basis.

Netherlands

2016

Germany

2015

Fines for Liering at Sea
38

Analyse penales and fines issued by Contracng Pares for
waste disposal offences at sea to highlight the differences,
trends, problem areas and issues to relevant organisaons, suchas the North Sea Network of Invesgators and Prosecutors.

Paris Memoradnum of Understanding on Port State Control
Bunches of polyethylene threads used to protect the codend of demersal trawlnet from abrasions

1
2

10

36

Theme B: Acons to combat land-based sources
Improved waste prevenon and management
39

Highlight those waste prevenon and management praccesthat impact significantly on marine lier. Engage with theindustry and other authories, at the appropriate level, in orderfor them to be able to develop best environmental pracce,
including idenficaon of circumstances where lier “escapes”
into the marine environment. Encourage the recyclability ofplasc products (e.g. through reducon of addives).

Germany, withparcipaon of
the Netherlands

2016

40

Share best pracce on waste management, e.g. on landfill bansof high caloric wastes (especially for plascs).

Germany, withparcipaon of
the Netherlands[2016]

41

Exchange experience on best pracce to prevent lier entering
into water systems and highlight these to River or River Basin
Commissions.

Netherlands withthe assistance ofGermany andBelgium

2015

Ireland, Norway
and Sweden.

2017

Germany, Irelandand Portugal

2016

Intersessional
CorrespondenceGroup on Marine
Lier

2015

Netherlands

2016

Reducon of sewage and storm water related waste
42

Invesgate and promote with appropriate industries the use ofBest Available Techniques (BAT) and Best Environmental Pracce(BEP) to develop sustainable and cost-effecve soluons to
reduce and prevent sewage and storm water related waste
entering the marine environment, including micro parcles.

OSPAR Actions

Incenves for responsible behaviour/ Disincenves for liering
43

Assess relevant instruments and incenves to reduce the use of
single-use and other items, which impact the marine
environment, including the illustraon of the associated costs
and environmental impacts.

44

Reduce the consumpon of single use plasc bags and theirpresence in the marine environment, supported by thedevelopment of quanfiable (sub) regional targets, whereappropriate, and assist in the development of relevant EU
iniaves.

45

Encourage internaonal environmental cerficaon schemes toinclude the management and prevenon of marine lier in theirlists of criteria.

© Jo Farrah

11

RAP §no.

Eliminaon, change or adaptaon of the products forenvironmental benefits

46

Evaluate all products and processes that include primary microplascs and act, if appropriate, to reduce their impact on themarine environment.

Belgium,
Germany andNetherlands

2015

47

Engage with all appropriate sectors (manufacturing, retail etc.) to
explore the possibility of a voluntary agreement to phase out theuse of micro plascs as a component in personal care andcosmec products. Should a voluntary agreement prove not tobe sufficient, prepare a proposal for OSPAR to call on the EU tointroduce appropriate measures to achieve a 100% phasing outof micro plascs in personal care and cosmec products.

Germany andNetherlands withthe parcipaonof Belgium, UK
and SARongoing48

Evaluate the potenal harm caused to the marine environment
by items such as cigaree filters/bus, balloons, shotgun wads,
coon buds and bio-film support media used in sewage plants.
Based on this evaluaon, proposals can be made on theeliminaon, change or adaptaon requirements for these otherpotenally problemac items.

Germany

2015

49

Invesgate the prevalence and impact of expanded polystyrene(EPS) in the marine environment, and engage with industry to
make proposals for alternave materials and/or how to reduce
its impacts.

Portugal withsupport from IE

OSPAR Actions

Development of sustainable packaging

12

50

Engage in a dialogue with industry aimed at highlighng the top
marine lier problem items based on OSPAR beach monitoring
surveys and/or other evidence on impacts.

51

Explore with industry the development of design improvements
to assist in the reducon of negave impacts of products
entering the marine environment in order to beer inform
industry on alternave soluons.

2015
Germany

Zero pellet loss
52

Promote iniaves and exchange of best pracce aiming at zeropellet loss along the whole plascs manufacturing chain fromproducon to transport.

2015
France, withparcipaon from
Germany,
Netherlands andSeas at Risk.

Theme C: Removal Acons
Applicaon of Fishing for Lier acvies
53

Strengthen the exisng OSPAR Recommendaon 2010/19 on the
reducon of marine lier through implementaon of fishing forlier iniaves, including by reviewing the opon that any vessel
involved in the scheme can land non-operaonal waste atparticipang harbours in OSPAR countries.

2016
Netherlands, The
United Kingdom
and KIMO, withparcipaon from
Portugal

Cleaning environmental compartments and keeping them clean
54

Establish an exchange plaorm on experiences on good cleaning
pracces in beaches, riverbanks, pelagic and surface sea areas,
ports and inland waterways. Develop best pracce on
environmental friendly technologies and methods for cleaning.

ICG-ML withassistance from
Germany andSeas at Risk

2016

55

Develop sub regional or regional maps of hotspots of floanglier, based on mapping of circulaon of floang masses ofmarine lier, and idenficaon of hotspots of accumulaon oncoastal areas and the role of prevailing currents and winds.

Portugal

2018

Reduction of abandoned, lost and otherwise discarded fishinggear (ALDFG)
56

57

Idenfy hot spot areas through mapping of snagging sites orhistoric dumping grounds working with other iniaves, research
programmes and with fishing organisaons.
Develop a risk assessment for idenfying where accumulaonsof ghost nets pose a threat to the environment and should be
removed.

NorwayGermany

ongoing

ICG-ML2016

OSPAR Actions

Theme D: Educaon and outreach
Educaon58

Develop marine lier assessment sheets to assist Contracng
Pares in developing material for educaon programmes,
including those for professional seafarers and fishermen.
Outreach59

Establish a database on good pracce examples of marine liermeasures and iniaves and share this database with otherRegional Seas Convenons in order to make acon more visible
to the public.

Germany, ICG-ML
and Secretariat

2016

60

Develop a communicaon strategy on the Regional Acon Plan
(RAP) linked in a coherent way with naonaliniaves/measures. This will include linking the OSPAR website
to relevant projects and iniaves.

Secretariat

2015

13

Contracting Party Actions
The following table details actions which may betaken at the national level by Contracting Parties to implement
OSPAR’s Regional Action Plan for Prevention and Management of Marine Litter in the North-East Atlantic. Contracting
Parties will perort on these actions every second year from 2016.
RAP
§ no.

Acon Summary
Theme A: Acons to combat sea-based sources of marine lier

62

Ensuring effecve implementaon and enforcement of MARPOL Annex V in relaon to both fishing and shipping
waste.

63

Invesgang markets for plasc waste from the fishing and shipping industry

Contracting Party Actions

64 *

14

Theme B: Measures to combat land-based sources
Ensuring consideraons related to marine lier and acons in this plan are integrated, as appropriate, into theimplementaon and any future revision of relevant EU Direcves.

65

Seeking cooperaon in the river and river basin authories in order to include impacts of lier on the marine
environment in river and river basin management plans.

66

Promong and supporng, where appropriate, the inclusion of measures aimed at the prevenon and reduconof marine lier in the 2014 revision of the EU’s waste legislaon.

67

Including a reference to marine lier, where applicable, in Naonal Waste Prevenon Plans and Waste
Management Plans.

68Entering into dialogue with the waste industry, working towards highlighng waste management pracces that
impact on the marine environment.

69

Idenfying illegal and historic coastal landfill or dumpsites, including where these might be at risk from coastal
erosion, and take acon if appropriate.

70

Promong Extended Producer Responsibility Strategies requiring producers, manufacturers, brand owners andfirst importers to be responsible for the enre life-cycle of the product with a focus on items frequently found in
the marine environment.

71

Encouraging the development and implementaon of Sustainable Procurement Policies that contribute to thepromoon of recycled products

72

Promong and enhancing naonal stakeholder alliances focusing on marine lier.
Theme C: Removal measures

73

Removing barriers to the processing or adequate disposal of marine lier collected in Fishing for Lier iniaves,
including landfilling if relevant and in line with waste legislaon

74

Encouraging all fishing vessels to be involved in Fishing for Lier schemes, where they are available.

75

Ensuring that any vessel involved in the scheme can land non-operaonal waste collected at sea at any
parcipang harbour.

76

Undertaking an awareness-raising campaign to make fishermen aware of their obligaons under EU Control
Regulaon (1224/2009) with regard to reporng, marking and retrieval of lost nets
Theme D: Educaon and outreach77

Promong educaon acvies in synergy with exisng iniaves in the field of sustainable development and in
partnership with civil society.

78

Promong curricula for marine-related educaon, including the recreaonal sector.

79

Promong or adopng environmental awareness courses for fishermen and the fishery sector.

80

Encourage parcipaon in Internaonal, EU and Naonal Lier Cleanup Campaigns.

81

Promong the “Adopt a beach” system.

82

Raising public awareness of the occurrence, impact and prevenon of marine lier, including micro plascs.

83

Supporng/iniang community/business-based producer responsibility schemes or deposit systems, forexample on recycling fishing nets.
Developing collecve agreements between Contracng Pares, NGOs and industry to tackle parcular problems
of marine lier.

84*64 bis Ensure effective implementation of Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC).

SECTION III: Monitoring and Assessment
Article 6 and Annex IV of the OSPAR Convention outline the requirement to assess the quality of the marine
environment. Contracting Parties are obliged to “undertake and publish at regular intervals joint assessments of
the quality status of the marine environment and of its development, for the maritime area or for regions or subregions thereof”. They are also required to “include in such assessments both an evaluation of the effectivenessof the measures taken and planned for the protection of the marine environment and the identification ofpriorities for action.”

Monitoring & Assessment

In order to obtain reliable and comparable monitoring data within the OSPAR area to assess the state of marine
litter in the marine environment and the effectiveness of the actions taken, it is important to coordinate
monitoring programmes trans-nationally and, whenever possible, to adopt consistent methodologies to collect,record and report data. A beach litter indicator is already in operation for the whole OSPAR area and the indicatorfor plastic particles in fulmar stomachs for the North Sea. They allow identification of different categories of litter,
providing information on potential origin and an analysis of trends in individual items. In the case of the fulmar,
an Ecological Quality Objective is applied encompassing specific and measurable objectives: “There should be lessthan 10% of northern fulmars (fulmarus glacialis) having more than 0.1 g plastic particles in the stomachs insamples of 50-100 beach-washed fulmars found from each of 4 to 5 areas of the North Sea over a period of atleast five years”.

© Jan Van Franeker / IMARES© John Dunn

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© Claire Fackler / NOAA National / Marine Photobank

SECTION III: Monitoring and Assessment cont...
OSPAR has developed common and candidate indicators, with a particular focus on MSFD requirements covering thefollowing issues:beach litterplastic particles in biota
seabed litter
micro plastics© J.M. van Coutren /Marine Photobank© Marcus Erikssen / 5 Gyres© Antoine Desbordes/Marine Photobank© Current Biology*

Monitoring & Assessment

The objective is that the indicators are applied by Contracting Parties in coordinated monitoring programmes. The
monitoring programmes should be linked, where relevant, to monitoring obligations under Article 11 of the MSFD.
Further development of these and other indicators e.g. on ingestion of litter in other biota (e.g. fish and turtles)
and for other relevant impacts (e.g. entanglement of biota in marine litter) will take place under OSPAR’s
Environmental Impact of Human Activities Committee (EIHA).

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Marine litter will be considered by the Joint Assessment and Monitoring Programme (JAMP). The JAMP sets out
the process for achieving OSPAR´s major assessment products i.e. the intermediate Assessment in 2017 andthe next Quality Status Report (QSR). Whereas the intermediate assessment will mainly consist of the results ofassessment of agreed common indicators, the QSR will include more integrated assessment approaches. Theseshould include cumulative assessment of pressures or advances of understanding on socio-economic issues, aswell as to respond to the targets set out in the North-East Atlantic Environment Strategy. Reporting is envisaged
for June 2016 and June 2020 to fit with the above assessments, with the objective to monitor levels of beach andseabed litter in the OSPAR maritime area, assess quantities, types, sources and trends of marine and beach litteras well as litter in biota. Assessment should include whether the introduction and levels of litter in the marine
environment (including in marine organisms) and on beaches causes harm. This relates closely to MSFD Descriptor
10, under which achievement of Good Environmental Status by 2020 requires that: “properties and quantities ofmarine litter do not cause harm to the coastal and marine environment”.
Any operational or reduction targets developed in relation to specific actions or measures produced under theframework of the RAP will be assessed through the JAMP and based upon the monitoring for the common
indicators, where applicable. The next QSR should assess the effectiveness of the plan in achieving the aims of theNorth-East Atlantic Environment Strategy.
Relevant research and development programmes should also be coordinated in order to make best use ofexpertise and (EU) resources. Main and emerging R&D topics are related to the development of an indicator andmonitoring for micro plastics, quantification of harm, relation between harm and risk and monitoring, assessing
the relevance of riverine litter.

* This image was published in Current Biology, Volume 23, Issue 23 December 02, 2013, Wright et al. (pages R1031–R1033) & Browne et al. (pages 2388–2392), Copyright Elsevier (2013)© Chamberlain/Marine Photobank

SECTION IV: Implementation & Reporting
The overall OSPAR Regional Action Plan on Marine litter is implemented through Agreement 2014/1. Contracting
Parties will use the implementation reporting process to update OSPAR on their national progress in implementing
the plan. However, individual actions recommended above, particularly those which have a regional focus, mayalso be implemented through guidelines, recommendations or decisions, depending upon their topic.
The OSPAR Regional Action Plan will be implemented during the period 2014-2021, after which time it shall be
reviewed and updated in accordance with the outcomes of the Quality Status Report 2021, the new OSPAR
Strategy, and assessments under the MSFD.
The regional plan will be implemented by means of OSPAR’s measures, guidelines and other agreements includedin the Implementation Plan presented in Annex I as well as Contracting Parties’ national programmes ofmeasures, joint activities and partnerships with other organisations. Some milestones to support implementation
have already been identified.
In order for OSPAR to be able to effectively monitor progress, Contracting Parties should report against theirnational implementation of the actions set out in this Regional Action Plan (Agreement 2014 1) to OSPAR’s
Environmental Impacts of Human Activities Committee every second year, starting in 2016.
Task leads will report against progress on the development of regional OSPAR actions as set out in the Regional
Action Plan (‘OSPAR Collective Actions’) to EIHA.

Implementation & Reporting

Reporting against targets and an assessment of the effectiveness of the Regional Action Plan should beundertaken as part of the assessment and monitoring process outlined in the JAMP 2014-2021.

© Andrea Weiss

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The 1992 OSPAR Convention is the current instrument guiding international cooperation on
the protection of the marine environment of the North-East Atlantic.
For more information about this Marine Litter Regional Action Plan, please contact:
OSPAR Secretariat
Victoria House
37-63 Southampton Row
London WC1B 4DA
United Kingdom
t: +44 (0)20 7430 5200
e: secretariat@ospar.org
www.ospar.org© OSPAR Commission, 2014.
Photos: These photos are not downloadable and under no circumstances should they be reproduced. Anyone wishing to use any image should
contact the OSPAR Secretariat.
Text: Permission may be granted by the publishers for the text to be wholly or partly reproduced in publications provided that the source of theextract is clearly indicated.

OSPAR’S vision is of a healthy and diverse North-East
Atlantic ecosystem, used sustainably

18ISBN: 978-1-906840-86-0

Cover image © Malik NaumannMarine Photobank