Impacts of debris and fishing litter on the rocky bottom of the Tyrrhenian Sea, Italy

A) Ghost net covered in various epibionts such as sertulariid hydroids, Paramuricea macrospina, Alcyonium palmatum and Cidaridae sea urchins (Banco Scuso – prof 140 m). 

B) An old lost net entangled on a colony of violescent sea-whip (Paramuricea clavata) and stretching over a mixed assemblage of yellow gorgonian (Eunicella cavolinii) and red coral (Corallium rubrum)(Ischia – prof 118 m). 

C) Lost net, hosting the basket star (Astrospartus mediterraneus), entirely wrapping a rocky boulder and stretched over a population of Paramuricea macrospina (Banco Scuso – prof 120 m). 

D) Gorgonian colonies of Viminella flagellum and Callogorgia verticillata, hosting the crinoids Leptometra phalangium, entangled and pulled by lines (Banco Marco – prof 270 m). 

E) Old long line entangling a colony of (Savalia savaglia), peeling off the tissue of the gold coral. Polichaeta Filograna implexa, and sponge Poecillastra compressa and gastropods occurring on its dead parts (Porto corallo – prof 90 m). 

F) Fishing lines entangled on the black coral (Antipathella subpinnata) (Banco Scuso – prof 140 m). 

G) Encrusted glass bottle (Amalfi – prof 94 m). 

H) Discarded tire and net (Amalfi – prof 84 m). 

I) A hanging rope hosting some specimens of sea urchins Cidaridae (Banco Marco – prof 270 m). 

J) A sack laid on the seafloor attracting Swallowtail Sea Perch (Anthias anthias) and other benthic species (Nisida – prof 77 m). 

K) Epibionted net and other litter snagged on a rock (Isola del Toro -prof 97 m). 

Scale bar: 10 cm