On a sunny yet quite windy day, representatives from ESMIC project partners and the Lithuanian environment protection agency participated in a field demonstration of microplastic sample collection. The hosts and Project partners from the Latvian Institute of Aquatic Ecology (LIAE) demonstrated and shared their knowledge on microplastic sampling in the open sea not only with the Klaipeda University but also with the Lithuanian Environment protection agency’s representatives.

As the weather conditions were not suitable for the open sea exercises, researchers were able to collect samples in the Daugava River while using Manta nets from Latvia and Lithuania. During this field demonstration, Lithuanian environment protection agency representatives, for the first time, were able to try out and witness field sample collection while using a Manta net. Now, this type of microplastic in the open sea sampling procedures can begin its way to be included in the Lithuanian environment protection agency’s Baltic Sea monitoring campaigns.

Sample treatment and further laboratory analysis methods were demonstrated in the LIAE laboratory. The exchange of practical knowledge and the building of closer cooperation between Latvian and Lithuanian Baltic Sea status surveying authorities is one of the key milestones in the ESMIC project. Most certainly, after these activities, we are a step closer to harmonizing microplastic monitoring in the LAT-LIT area and the whole Baltic Sea.