Ingestion of a Large Plastic Fragment by a Gilthead Seabream, Sparus aurata

Author(s): Sabhah Alhmoudi, Nabil Mansour, Ahmed G. Ismail

In this report, a farmed seabream, Sparus aurata, weighing 209 grams and measuring 300 mm in total length was found to have ingested a transparent plastic fragment > 150 mm long, lodged within its intestine. Both the affected and unaffected regions of the intestinal wall exhibited physical and pathological damage. In conclusion, farmed seabream fish can ingest large plastic fragments which leads to gut blockage and/or sever intestinal damage.