Anthropogenic marine debris and mangrove ecosystems: an insight from the Adipala coastal area of Cilacap, Indonesia

Cilacap Regency, as one of the areas that has the largest mangrove ecosystem in Indonesia, certainly needs integrated mangrove zone management. As a form of implementation of mangrove degradation control, there is a need for comprehensive research in mangrove areas in Cilacap, including mangrove ecosystems in Adipala. The purpose of this study was to analyze the characteristics of anthropogenic marine debris in mangrove ecosystems of the Adipala coastal area, including calculating the Coastal Clean Index (CCI) and Hazardous Item Index (HII). Our results show that mangroves in the Adipala coastal area consist of four types, namely Nypa sp., Sonneratia sp., Avicennia sp., and Rhizophora sp. Furthermore, we can classify anthropogenic marine debris (AMD) in the study area into six types: plastic, iron, rubber, cloth, glass, and processed wood products, with plastic debris accounting for the majority at 58.77. In addition, 99 of the AMD found was macro-sized debris. The CCI calculation reveals that 39 of the study area falls into class IV, followed by class II at 36 of the total area. Class IV denotes an area heavily impacted by AMD. The HII value indicates that class II accounts for 46 and class I for 42. Furthermore, on the Adipala coast, the restoration class encompasses the bulk of mangrove ecosystems (48.78), whereas the protection/conservation class comprises a much smaller proportion (24.39). The high proportion of plastic and the critical CCI observed here are consistent with regional marine debris patterns, positioning the Adipala findings as representative of a broader environmental challenge across Indonesia. Therefore, it may be inferred that the marine debris along the Adipala coast has reached a crucial level and requires urgent, actionable interventions focused on decentralized waste management and community-based restoration programs. © The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V. 2025.