Global Marine plastic litter Monitoring Network Project (AOMI database)

In response to the growing interest surrounding microplastics in the ocean, microplastic monitoring carried out by many institutions around the world using various methods. It is expected that monitoring will continue, but as different sampling and analytical methods are used - depending on the purpose of the surveys of each country and research institution - there is a fundamental lack of comparability among currently available data.

The Ministry of the Environment, Japan (hereafter MOEJ) is promoting the series of activities aiming to create a global network hub to share and compile the monitoring activities and data on marine plastic litter distribution collaborating with existing and further other initiatives and produce additional values by harmonization and visualization of monitoring.

Together with harmonization of monitoring methodologies with the guidelines developed in 2019 (https://www.env.go.jp/content/000170493.pdf), the global database “Atlas of Ocean MIcroplastics; AOMI” has been launched in May 2024 (https://aomi.env.go.jp/). To date, more than 13,000 sampling data after QC/QA are processed to multilevel datasets in AOMI. AOMI also provides gridded data of microplastic abundance created through an optimal interpolation method. It will be capable of understanding the current extent of marine plastic pollution at global level, designing the field observations, and validating numerical model approach to uncover the fate of ocean plastics.

In addition, the value of marine debris data collected and made available to stakeholders through various platforms and data infrastructures distributed globally remains limited by insufficient level of coordination between efforts which deal with data comparability, availability, and quality assurance and control. The MOEJ is enhancing collaboration between international organizations, such as NOAA, European Marine Observation and Data Network (EMODnet), GPML and Integrated Marine Debris Observing System (IMDOS), through international workshops and development of those guidelines and database system, including AOMI.

This presentation will provide the concept and the latest update of the activities, with aim to promote collaborations between relevant institutions for ending plastic pollution.