Microplastics in mariculture: Source, fate, and management

Various plastic products have been widely used in mariculture for decades all around the world. However, the abandoned or lost plastic products also lead to the generation of large plastic debris and even microplastics. Currently, microplastics have become one of the popular emerging contaminants in the water, sediment, and organisms in mariculture areas. There are concerns that microplastics might pose risks to seafood safety and fisheries resources. In this chapter, we give an overview of microplastic pollution in mariculture from the following three aspects: (1) the types of plastics used in mariculture and their contribution to microplastics, (2) distribution of microplastics in the environment and organisms, and (3) management of microplastics in mariculture.