Black sea marine litter pollution related to naval operations

Abstract

The Black Sea, due to its weak exchange of waters and poor vertical circulation, has an increased sensibility to pollution. Even though this maritime basin is subject to numerous regulations at the national, regional, and international levels, the pollution issue is still actual and stringent. The present paper analyses the findings of three studies focused on marine litter issues and provide, in the concluding part, few directions which can improve the pollution prevention and containment effort. As the studies related to Black Sea litter pollution are scarce and fragmented, the authors took the opportunity and analyzed three different studies conducted in different periods and concluded that a significant part of marine debris is related to naval operations.