Jan 29, 2026 02:01 AM
https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1113520
EXCERPTS: A third of fish living in the remote coastal waters of the Pacific Island Countries and Territories are contaminated with microplastics, with especially high rates in Fiji, according to an analysis publishing January 28, 2026 in the open-access journal PLOS One by Jasha Dehm at the University of the South Pacific and colleagues.
Microplastic pollution in marine environments is a global issue impacting ecosystems and human health. Despite their remoteness, the Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs) may be particularly vulnerable to microplastic pollution because of rapid urbanization and limited waste and water management systems. Many coastal communities there rely on fish for nutrition, livelihoods and culture, so might be impacted by consuming contaminated food. However, there has been little research on microplastic contamination in fish consumed in the PICTs.
[...] Dr. Amanda Ford adds: “While microplastic levels in Pacific fish are generally lower than in many industrialised regions, Pacific communities rely far more heavily on fish as a primary protein source. Combined with major data gaps across the region, this makes locally generated evidence essential as Global Plastics Treaty negotiations advance and are translated into national policies.”
Dr. Rufino Varea adds: "Beyond the ecological insights, this study delivers a stark warning about the vulnerability of our food systems: we found that the reef-associated and bottom-feeding fish most accessible to our subsistence fishers are acting as reservoirs for synthetic pollution, particularly in Fiji, where nearly three-quarters of sampled individuals contained microplastics. The dominance of fibers in these samples challenges the assumption that marine litter is solely a visible, coastal management issue; it indicates a pervasive infiltration of textile and gear-derived contaminants into the very diet of our communities.
This data shatters the illusion that our remoteness offers protection and provides the evidentiary basis we need to reject downstream solutions—such as recycling schemes—as insufficient. Instead, it compels us to demand a Global Plastics Treaty that enforces strict caps on primary plastic production and toxic additives, as this is the only viable way to safeguard the health and food security of Pacific peoples." (MORE - missing details, no ads)
EXCERPTS: A third of fish living in the remote coastal waters of the Pacific Island Countries and Territories are contaminated with microplastics, with especially high rates in Fiji, according to an analysis publishing January 28, 2026 in the open-access journal PLOS One by Jasha Dehm at the University of the South Pacific and colleagues.
Microplastic pollution in marine environments is a global issue impacting ecosystems and human health. Despite their remoteness, the Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs) may be particularly vulnerable to microplastic pollution because of rapid urbanization and limited waste and water management systems. Many coastal communities there rely on fish for nutrition, livelihoods and culture, so might be impacted by consuming contaminated food. However, there has been little research on microplastic contamination in fish consumed in the PICTs.
[...] Dr. Amanda Ford adds: “While microplastic levels in Pacific fish are generally lower than in many industrialised regions, Pacific communities rely far more heavily on fish as a primary protein source. Combined with major data gaps across the region, this makes locally generated evidence essential as Global Plastics Treaty negotiations advance and are translated into national policies.”
Dr. Rufino Varea adds: "Beyond the ecological insights, this study delivers a stark warning about the vulnerability of our food systems: we found that the reef-associated and bottom-feeding fish most accessible to our subsistence fishers are acting as reservoirs for synthetic pollution, particularly in Fiji, where nearly three-quarters of sampled individuals contained microplastics. The dominance of fibers in these samples challenges the assumption that marine litter is solely a visible, coastal management issue; it indicates a pervasive infiltration of textile and gear-derived contaminants into the very diet of our communities.
This data shatters the illusion that our remoteness offers protection and provides the evidentiary basis we need to reject downstream solutions—such as recycling schemes—as insufficient. Instead, it compels us to demand a Global Plastics Treaty that enforces strict caps on primary plastic production and toxic additives, as this is the only viable way to safeguard the health and food security of Pacific peoples." (MORE - missing details, no ads)