# Evaluating the potential of underwater television to contribute to marine litter assessments alongside bottom trawling

## TL;DR

This study explores using underwater TV to monitor marine litter alongside traditional trawling methods, finding it less effective in low-density areas but useful when combined with other data.

## Contribution

The study introduces a method to integrate underwater TV and trawl survey data for improved marine litter monitoring.

## Key findings

- Underwater TV is less effective in low-density litter areas compared to trawling.
- High litter densities are found in near-shore regions included in national monitoring.
- Combining data sources improves litter density estimates but requires careful sampling design.

## Abstract

Marine litter presents a global threat to marine ecosystems, human health, and safety. Therefore, it is important to increase our knowledge about spatiotemporal trends of litter in the environment. Bottom trawl surveys provide a practical method for monitoring seafloor litter on the continental shelf, but can have severe negative impacts on the environment. Here we evaluate the potential of an ongoing underwater television survey (UWTV) to also collect litter density data, and develop model-based indices of litter densities integrating coastal and offshore trawl survey data using geostatistical models. Based on our case study along the Swedish west coast, we find that UWTV in its current format may be limited as an alternative to trawling in areas with relatively low densities. There are also clear spatial trends in litter, with the highest densities in near-shores areas currently only included in the national monitoring program. Our results illustrate the potential of combining data, but also the importance of careful sampling designing for marine litter monitoring.