IMPACTS OF MARINE LITTER ON SMALL-SCALE FISHERIES: SYSTEMATIC REVIEW AND NARRATIVE SYNTHESIS

Abstract

Marine litter is a global socio-environmental challenge intensified by multiple sources, increasing human activity in coastal zones, and the lack of effective public policies. In small-scale fisheries, this impact becomes particularly evident, directly affecting productivity, safety, and the working conditions of fishing communities. This study conducted a systematic literature review, following PRISMA 2020 guidelines with a narrative synthesis, to identify and analyze how marine litter affects artisanal fisheries from a marine science perspective. Searches were carried out in the CAPES, SciELO, and Google Scholar databases between 2015 and 2025, resulting in 14 eligible studies. The findings show that solid waste, especially plastics and abandoned, lost, or discarded fishing gear (ALDFG), is predominant in coastal environments and poses significant ecological and socioeconomic risks, including damage to vessels, reduced catch, higher operational costs, and the intensification of ghost fishing. The analysis also highlights the historical marginalization of fishing communities, which, despite being directly affected, are often excluded from management and decision-making processes. The study concludes that effective mitigation requires integrated efforts combining environmental governance, methodological standardization, recognition of traditional ecological knowledge, and societal behavioral change, emphasizing that the success of management strategies ultimately depends on collective engagement.