MAELSTROM data policy: https://zenodo.org/records/15030538

MAELSTROM data access request form: https://zenodo.org/records/15030591

The video data were collected on 23 September 2022 at the coastal site of the abandoned mussel farm, as part of the European MAELSTROM project. The inspection was carried out by trained divers from the 1st Underwater Operators Unit of the Italian Coast Guard, following standardised protocols to ensure consistent underwater video acquisition.

The site, located just offshore from the Jesolo/Cavallino area near the Sile river mouth, is characterised by the remnants of aquaculture infrastructure and by moderate to high exposure to marine currents and fishing activities. Video documentation was aimed at identifying benthic marine litter and aquaculture debris, complementing previous multibeam echo sounder (MBES) mapping campaigns conducted at the same site.

The raw video footage was later reviewed using a standardised annotation protocol to identify, classify, and document debris items present on the seafloor. Special attention was given to items not easily detectable through acoustic surveys, such as ropes and nets entangled with the substrate.