Low plastic ingestion rate in Atlantic Cod (Gadus morhua) from Newfoundland destined for human consumption collected through citizen science methods

Abstract

Marine microplastics are a contaminant of concern because their small size allows ingestion by a wide range of marine life. Using citizen science during the Newfoundland recreational cod fishery, we sampled 205 Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) destined for human consumption and found that 5 had eaten plastic, an ingestion prevalence rate of 2.4%. This ingestion rate for Atlantic cod is the second lowest recorded rate in the reviewed published literature (the lowest is 1.4%), and the lowest for any fish in the North Atlantic. This is the first report for plastic ingestion in fish in Newfoundland, Canada, a province dependent on fish for sustenance and livelihoods.\n\nHighlights (3-5 points, 85 char max including spaces)O_LIPlastic ingestion rate of 2.4% for Atlantic Cod (n=205)\nC_LIO_LIFirst recorded baseline for fish in Newfoundland, Canada\nC_LIO_LIThis plastic ingestion prevalence rate is among the lowest recorded to date\nC_LIO_LIUsed citizen science to collect GI tracts from fish destined for human consumption\nC_LI