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Coastal ecosystem services (ES) can be significantly altered by marine litter, because of its multiple economic and social impacts at different scales. However, current scientific evidence of the perceived impacts of marine litter in the different ES is still scarce in Galicia (Spain). The aim of this study was to evaluate the main perceived effects of marine litter on ES and coastal communities. By conducting 360 individual interviews to citizens from the general public of the Rías Baixas coastal region, we analyzed societal perceptions about the importance of ecosystems for human well-being and the magnitude and consequences of marine litter on coastal ecosystems. Our results indicated that the surveyed population are highly aware of the consequences of marine litter to the detriment of the ES provided by coastal areas (81% considered as of high impact), regardless of the socioeconomic characteristics (gender, age, house composition, education, residence, income). The results also suggest that supporting and regulating ES are scored as very important by the interviewees, while women are more concerned than men. The negative impact on human wellbeing was perceived as very important by citizens. The fisheries sector was perceived as the least responsible for pollution by marine litter presence (38% considered as a little responsible, and 16% as very little responsible), with a wide awareness of the role of citizens in both the cause and the solution to tackle marine litter. Citizens might play a key role in the mitigation of marine litter to collectively demand and promote active management measures, which are able to generate a positive impact on ecosystems and on the main socioeconomic variables in the long term. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seagrass meadows deliver key ecosystem services in coastal environments worldwide by hosting early and adult life stages of many fish stocks, improving water quality, capturing carbon dioxide (mitigating the effects of global warming), protecting against adverse events and providing leisure opportunities. Shellfishing is often carried out in seagrass meadows, causing alterations derived from harvesting and/or culture processes. While the negative impacts of shellfisheries on seagrass meadows have been well established, the effects of the meadows on shellfishing have not yet been explored. In this study we analyzed the two-way interactions between shellfishing and Zostera spp. beds in north-west Spain and identified gaps in the governance system related to seagrass management. We conducted interviews (with 154 shellfishers) and held workshops (involving 61 shellfishers) to collect and validate information on the perceptions of shellfishers regarding the ecosystem services supplied by seagrass meadows, the interactions with shellfishing activity and how to improve the management of the activity in these key habitats. In general, shellfishers viewed the presence of seagrass negatively because greater physical effort is needed to extract the shellfish from among the plants. The shellfishers also recognized that the plants are easily damaged during their work. Temporal trends were also perceived negatively, as catches have been decreasing over time, while the area occupied by seagrass meadows has increased. However, experienced shellfishers recognized the benefits of the meadows for coastal ecosystems and fisheries (including those that they exploited), such as increased recruitment of the target species, to the extent that they were open to the allocation of areas to seagrass conservation. The compatibility of traditional shellfishing and management of seagrass meadows should be fostered by developing seagrass monitoring programs to develop adaptive fisheries management strategies and ensure conservation of these complex social-ecological systems. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]