Marine plastic pollution is increasing in the world’s ocean, with the Indian Ocean understudied compared to the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. This study investigates plastic pollution in the Southwest Indian Ocean, focusing on a size range from large debris to microplastics (> 500 μm). Using visual surveys and manta trawling, we assessed plastic concentrations, compositions, and polymer types across 19 oceanographic campaigns. A total of 11,438 litter items were identified, with over 70% ...
