Neuston net tows in the New Zealand sector of the Southern Ocean and the Ross Sea to determine quantities of anthropogenic contaminants

The quantities of floatant contaminant levels (in particular virgin plastic granules together with larger chunks of degrading plastic, pelagic tar balls and oily residues and any other antrhopogenic litter) in surface waters of the New Zealand sector of the Southern Ocean and the Ross Sea was determined by conducting neuston net tows (27 locations in 81-82 and 20 locations in 82-83 and 10 locations in 85-86) on the journey from New Zealand to the Ross Sea aboard the USCGC Glacier and aboard the USCGC Polar Sea in the Ross Sea.

A Sameoto-Jarosznsky type neuston nets was used for the tows. For each tow, the general locality, position (latitude and longitude), course, duration of the tow (minutes), area swept (m2), plastics/tar recovered and any other comments were recorded.