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.