The MAELSTROM Project performed a literature survey includes existing databases on marine litter data on the water column, sea floor, estuaries, rivers and beaches. Specifically, the European/Regional Seas review is based on existing publications while the study areas review is based on existing publications and raw data, when available.

The review intends to provide the knowledge-base on the characteristics, sources and pathways of marine litter in the two demo sites of the lagoon of Venice (Italy) and the Ave River estuary (Portugal). Specifically, the review aims at:

● improving the understanding of the amounts and types of marine litter occurring in Europe and in particular in the study areas;

● improving the understanding of the main sources and pathways of marine litter in Europe and in particular in the study areas;

● supporting the definition of the input data and assumptions related to marine litter to be used in numerical models of marine litter spatial distribution.

To achieve this objective, we assume the following constraints:

● the main focus is on macro-litter;

● the review has a geographic scope focused on the study sites;

● marine litter literature has been analysed to indicate the most probable sources and amount.

Here the results related to the Ave estuary Portuguese demonstration site.

For more details, see the project deliverable: Ghezzo, M., MOSCHINO, V., Galvez, D., Mira Veiga, J., Bocci, M., Iglesias, I., Vieira, L., Sousa Pinto, I., Antunes, S. C., & Correia, A. M. (2021). D2.1 Report on the characterization of major sources of marine litter and macro-plastic in the demo sites. MAELSTROM Project. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14920205