Role of protected area in reducing marine and plastic litter: A case study from India's first Marine Protected Area and comparison with Non‐Protected Areas

This research is the first to assess marine litter and plastic pollution in India's first marine protected area (MPA), the Gulf of Kachchh Marine Protected Area (GOKMPA). We compare it to two non‐protected areas, that is, Okha Beach and Beyt Dwarka, known for their high industrial and tourist activity, respectively. Standing‐stock surveys were used to collect primary litter data, while questionnaire surveys were used to learn about people's perception and attitude towards the plastic pollution problem in the study area. We found that plastic was the most common component of the litter at all the sites and that it was primarily of terrestrial origin. Compared to non‐protected sites, GOKMPA had the lowest litter density but the highest proportion of plastic litter. Single‐use plastic bottles were the most counted items at all the sites, regardless of the conservation status of the sites. The majority of people (locals, visitors, and fishers) around these sites expressed concern about waste but were hesitant to take responsibility and discourage or prevent littering. We noted that designating coastal territories as protected areas helps in reducing plastic pollution while also conserving habitat and biodiversity. However, this could change rapidly due to either mishandling of litter within MPAs or neighboring non‐PAs, and also because plastics pose an actual toxicity risk when present even at minimal concentrations in the environment. We recommend combining preventive, mitigating, and curative measures in areas where risk hotspots for plastic litter are identified, and such sites must be constantly monitored. Long‐term solutions could include transitioning from a linear to a circular economy, which would involve goals for reducing plastic waste and instituting more sustainable production and consumption patterns.