Ford, Amanda Kirsty, Kitolelei, Salanieta ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2856-7717, Varea, Rufino, Stockwell, Brian, Botleng, Joycinette Vosumbe, Molitaviti, June Brian, Alefaio, Semese, Kaitu, Lotokufaki Paka, Nivaga, Lavata, Brown, Kelly, Morris, Cherie, Drova, Eseta, Fe’ao, Siutiti and Dehm, Jasha (2026) A community-informed microplastic exposure index based on Pacific Island fisheries: Integrating local knowledge with empirical data. Cambridge Prisms: Coastal Futures, 4 . e8. DOI https://doi.org/10.1017/cft.2026.10027.

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Abstract

Coastal fisheries are central to Pacific Island nutrition, livelihoods and cultural identity, yet growing microplastic contamination threatens food security and public health. This study integrates fishers’ knowledge of locally important coastal fish species with empirical measurements of microplastic loads to identify priority taxa for monitoring across Fiji, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu. Interviews with 110 fishers documented commonly caught species, and the number of times each taxon was reported was calculated. Family-level catch data and mean microplastic loads were each standardised between 0 and 1 to generate Catch and Microplastic Scores, which were multiplied to create an Exposure Index reflecting both social relevance and contamination levels. Regionally, Lethrinidae and Scombridae had the highest Exposure Index values, while Acanthuridae, Lutjanidae, Scaridae and Serranidae emerged as country-specific priorities. Gendered fishing patterns revealed differences in catch, influencing potential exposure pathways and highlighting the need for gender-disaggregated data in future assessments. This approach of combining local knowledge with contamination studies offers a replicable, regionally-grounded method for identifying key indicator species for future microplastic monitoring. Species within the Lethrinidae family, particularly Lethrinus harak, stand out as regional priorities because of their importance to subsistence and artisanal fisheries, exposure to microplastics and consistent occurrence across the region.

Document Type:	Article
Programme Area:	PA5
Research affiliation:	Science Management > Transformation Through Transdisciplinarity (TripleT)
Refereed:	Yes
Open Access Journal?:	Yes
DOI:	https://doi.org/10.1017/cft.2026.10027
ISSN:	2754-7205
Date Deposited:	24 Apr 2026 07:56
Last Modified:	24 Apr 2026 07:56
URI:	https://cris.leibniz-zmt.de/id/eprint/6199

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