Levels of marine debris, including microplastics, are largely un-documented in the Northeast Atlantic
Ocean. Broad scale monitoring efforts are required to understand the distribution, abundance and ecological
implications of microplastic pollution. A method of continuous sampling was developed to be conducted
in conjunction with a wide range of vessel operations to maximise vessel time. Transects
covering a total of 12,700 km were sampled through continuous monitoring of open ocean sub-surface
water resulting in 470 samples. Items classified as potential plastics were identified in 94% of samples.
A total of 2315 particles were identified, 89% were less than 5 mm in length classifying them as microplastics.
Average plastic abundance in the Northeast Atlantic was calculated as 2.46 particles m3. This
is the first report to demonstrate the ubiquitous nature of microplastic pollution in the Northeast Atlantic
Ocean and to present a potential method for standardised monitoring of microplastic pollution