The implementation of the MSFD monitoring program has been carried out in 2015 based on TGML recommandations (Guidelines 2013). In French Atlantic Area, Floating Marine MacroLitter (FMML) were monitored during yearly french fishing stock assessment surveys on the R/V “Thalassa” vessel (Baudrier et al, 2018):
• IBTS (International Bottom Trawl Survey) during winter (january/february) in South North Sea/Eastern Channel,
• CGFS (Channel Groung Fish Survey) during early Automn (september/october) in zones 7d (Easter English Channel) et 7e (Western English Channel),
• PELGAS (Petits Pélagiques Gascogne) during spring time (April/May) in Bay of Biscay
• EVHOE (Evaluation des ressources halieutiques de l’ouest européen) during automn (end october, november, early december) in Bay of Biscay and Celtic Sea.
FMML observations have been deployed during PELGAS surveys since 2003, IBTS surveys since 2007, CGFS surveys since 2014 and EVHOE surveys since 2009. In this study, we have choosen to analyse FMML data collected from the beginning of the implementation of the monitoring program that means since the applying of a common monitoring protocole during those surveys in 2015 untill last surveys in 2020.
The MEGASCOPE protocol (Doremus and Van Canneyt, 2015) from UMS PELAGIS Institute is applied by observers on board. This protocol aims to observe Marine Mammals, Seabirds, Human activities and floating marine macrolitter from the upper bridge or inside the bridge depending on weather conditions.
Two surveys have no data because of their cancellation: EVHOE 2017 due to a vessel damage and PELGAS 2020 due to COVID-19 sanitary situation.