MARINE DEBRIS CONTAMINATION OF BEACHES IN ST-LUCIA AND DOMINICA

There is greater focus on the increasing amounts of man-made debris and the associated problems that this brings. Pilot surveys of beaches in islands of the Eastern Caribbean show substantial levels of beach debris, but no long term assessment has been conducted. A survey of two islands in the Caribbean region was conducted between 1991 and 1992. Mean debris levels by number and weight ranged from 4.5 to 11.2 items m-1 and 8.2 to 109.2 g m-1 of beach front in St. Lucia and 1.9-6.2 -items m-1 and 5 1.5-1 5 3.7 g m-1 in Dominica. Plastic was commonest in St. Lucia, 51.3% by number and 38.6% by weight, while driftwood was most common in Dominica, 35.9% by number and 59.3% by weight.