A global synthesis of microplastic contamination in wild fish species: Challenges for conservation, implications for sustainability of wild fish stocks and future directions

Luís Gabriel A Barboza; Sara Couto Lourenço; Alexandre Aleluia; Natália Carneiro Lacerda Dos Santos; Minrui Huang; Jun Wang; Lúcia Guilhermino

doi:10.1016/bs.amb.2023.01.003

A global synthesis of microplastic contamination in wild fish species: Challenges for conservation, implications for sustainability of wild fish stocks and future directions

Adv Mar Biol. 2023:94:159-200. doi: 10.1016/bs.amb.2023.01.003. Epub 2023 Feb 24.

Authors

Luís Gabriel A Barboza¹, Sara Couto Lourenço², Alexandre Aleluia², Natália Carneiro Lacerda Dos Santos³, Minrui Huang⁴, Jun Wang⁵, Lúcia Guilhermino²

Affiliations

¹ ICBAS-School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Porto, Department of Populations Study, Laboratory of Ecotoxicology and Ecology (ECOTOX), Porto, Portugal; CIIMAR-Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Research Team of Ecotoxicology, Stress Ecology and Environmental Health (ECOTOX), Matosinhos, Portugal. Electronic address: lbarboza@ciimar.up.pt.
² ICBAS-School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Porto, Department of Populations Study, Laboratory of Ecotoxicology and Ecology (ECOTOX), Porto, Portugal; CIIMAR-Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Research Team of Ecotoxicology, Stress Ecology and Environmental Health (ECOTOX), Matosinhos, Portugal.
³ Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Institute of Biology, Department of Ecology, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
⁴ Yunnan Key Laboratory of International Rivers and Transboundary Eco-Security, Yunnan University, Kunming, China; Institute of International Rivers and Eco-Security, Yunnan University, Kunming, China; Department of Evolution, Ecology and Behaviour, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom.
⁵ Yunnan Key Laboratory of International Rivers and Transboundary Eco-Security, Yunnan University, Kunming, China; Institute of International Rivers and Eco-Security, Yunnan University, Kunming, China; College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China.

PMID: 37244677
DOI: 10.1016/bs.amb.2023.01.003

Abstract

Research on the occurrence of microplastics in wild fish populations is a constantly growing area, requiring continuous reviews to properly keep up with the fast pace of publications and guide future work. This review analyses the scientific output of 260 field studies covering 1053 different fish taxa for the presence of microplastics. To date, microplastics have been recorded in 830 wild fish species, including 606 species of interest to commercial and subsistence fisheries. Among these, based on IUCN Red List status, 34 species are globally classified in one of the three threatened categories (Critically Endangered, Endangered or Vulnerable) and another 22 species were assessed as "Near Threatened". Of the species for which the IUCN Red List tracks population trend data, the fish species reported to have microplastics so far include 81 which are recorded as declining, 134 as stable and just 16 as increasing. This review highlights the potential implications of fish microplastic contamination to biodiversity conservation, sustainability of wild fish stocks, and human food safety and security. Finally, recommendations for future research are presented.

Keywords: Fish; IUCN; Microplastics; Seafood safety; Species conservation.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Animals
Biodiversity
Conservation of Natural Resources*
Endangered Species*
Fishes
Humans
Microplastics
Plastics

Substances

Microplastics
Plastics