TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Microplastic pollution in the ocean poses an even greater threat to fish during spawning season. A recent study reveals that the reproductive period leaves fish more vulnerable to microplastics and various other pollutants capable of disrupting entire populations.
Led by researchers from Nankai University and the Fujian Ocean Innovation Center, the study found that fish spawning seasons often overlap with heavily polluted marine areas. This condition magnifies the impact of pollution compared to assessments based solely on annual average contamination levels.
"The scientists examined how microplastics, spawning timing, chemical pollutants, warming water, and low oxygen all combine to hit marine fish populations worldwide," Earth reported on July 21, 2026.
To conduct the study, the research team compiled 6,327 seawater microplastic measurements, 3,959 fish microplastic samples, 528 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) data points, and 1,891 perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) data entries. They mapped this dataset against reproductive profiles for 992 marine fish species across 65 major ocean ecosystems to pinpoint areas with peak microplastic exposure during spawning periods.
The analysis revealed that roughly 7.8 percent of vital global spawning grounds have surpassed safe ecological limits. In the Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Thailand, average microplastic concentrations in spawning habitats are more than 7.8 times higher than the global average.
The study also observed that spawning fish carry higher microplastic loads than non-reproducing individuals of the same species. Furthermore, nearly half of the analyzed marine ecosystems showed more efficient transfer of microplastics into fish tissues during reproductive windows.
Researchers emphasize that pollution risk assessments must account for the timing of exposure alongside microplastic concentrations. During spawning, fish congregate in specific habitats where microplastics, chemical toxins, warming waters, and oxygen depletion compound to heighten ecological damage.
The findings, published in the journal Environmental Science and Ecotechnology, indicate that critically endangered species face higher compound risks from microplastics and other pollutants than species listed as least concern. Therefore, the authors stress that marine conservation strategies and habitat protection policies must incorporate reproductive timing to prove effective.
Read: Indonesia Partners with OceanX to Protect Marine National Parks
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