The devices provide location data via satellite five – six times in each 24 hour period and are designed to last for two years. A map showing their locations will go live on the #OneLess and OneOcean websites on June 8. They could be being transported into the Celtic Sea and Bristol Channel, or even further out into the Atlantic and north to Scotland, potentially in time for the UNFCCC CoP in November.

The scientist statement to the G7, whose authors included Professor of Marine Biology Jason Hall-Spencer, included calls for:

Increasing scientific monitoring and research to understand the role of pollution in the ocean and its impact on ocean resilience to warming;Fully or highly protecting at least 30% of the ocean from harmful and polluting activities by creating protected areas by 2030 with the remaining 70% of the ocean sustainably managed;Championing the negotiation of a strong High Seas Treaty to protect half the planet’s ocean;Halting the destructive extraction of ocean resources: including immediate and real action to stop overfishing, a freeze on deep-sea mining, and stopping off-shore oil and gas exploration.Over 359 million tonnes of plastic is produced annually and production has been predicted to double in the next 20 years. More than 40% of this amount is for single-use applications. Assuming there are no improvements in waste management infrastructure, the cumulative quantity of plastic waste available to enter the marine environment from land could increase by approximately three times over the decade up to 2025.

Previous research by the University has also shown that more than 700 species of marine organisms have been reported to encounter plastic debris, which can result in severe physical harm or death, or more subtle effects on behaviour and ecological interactions.

The #OneLess campaign works with scientists, businesses, visitor attractions and governments to reduce the reliance on and numbers of single-use plastic water bottles. OneOcean is an alliance of around 100 organisations from around the world, promoting key measures to protect the ocean.