Plastic litter in the world’s oceans has significantly increased since the 1990s, according to a new study.

Scientists from the Marine Biological Association and the University of Plymouth examined data collected over 60 years and 6.5m nautical miles for the research.

They concluded that there had been a “significant increase” in larger plastic items found in the ocean from 1957 to 2016.

Plastic objects such as bags, rope and netting were among those retrieved from oceans.

The earliest piece of plastic the researchers traced was a bag, found in 1965 off the northwest coast of Ireland.

Third seal found with frisbee embedded in its neck off Norfolk coast Show all 13 1 /13 Third seal found with frisbee embedded in its neck off Norfolk coast Third seal found with frisbee embedded in its neck off Norfolk coast seals-6.jpg BEST QUALITY AVAILABLE Handout photo courtesy of Sarah Parker of a grey seal named Sir David with a frisbee embedded in his neck, before being rescued from the beach at Horsey Gap by Friends of Horsey Seals. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Thursday April 4, 2019. The 125kg bull was taken to RSPCA East Winch Wildlife Centre in Norfolk where he is now recovering. See PA story ANIMALS Seals. Photo credit should read: Sarah Parker/PA Wire PA Third seal found with frisbee embedded in its neck off Norfolk coast seals-13.jpg Friends of Horsey Seals Third seal found with frisbee embedded in its neck off Norfolk coast seals-10.jpg The plastic frisbee which was removed from the neck of a grey seal found on Wednesday, which has been named Sir David, at RSPCA East Winch Wildlife Centre in Norfolk. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Thursday April 4, 2019. The 125kg bull was rescued by Friends of Horsey Seals from the beach at Horsey Gap yesterday. See PA story ANIMALS Seals. Photo credit should read: Joe Giddens/PA Wire PA Third seal found with frisbee embedded in its neck off Norfolk coast seals-8.jpg A grey seal named, which has been named Sir David, recuperates in an isolation cubicle at RSPCA East Winch Wildlife Centre in Norfolk, after having a plastic frisbee removed from his neck. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Thursday April 4, 2019. The 125kg bull was rescued by Friends of Horsey Seals from the beach at Horsey Gap yesterday. See PA story ANIMALS Seals. Photo credit should read: Joe Giddens/PA Wire PA Third seal found with frisbee embedded in its neck off Norfolk coast seals-15.jpg M. Perring Third seal found with frisbee embedded in its neck off Norfolk coast seals-12.jpg An injured grey seal which has been spotted today with netting around its neck at Blakeney Point on the Norfolk coast. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Wednesday April 3, 2019. The RSPCA has reported an increase in the number of incidents of seals caught in plastics in recent years. See PA story ANIMALS Seals. Photo credit should read: Joe Giddens/PA Wire PA Third seal found with frisbee embedded in its neck off Norfolk coast seals-7.jpg A grey seal found on Wednesday, which has been named Sir David, recuperates in an isolation cubicle after having a plastic frisbee removed from his neck at RSPCA East Winch Wildlife Centre in Norfolk, . PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Thursday April 4, 2019. The 125kg bull was rescued by Friends of Horsey Seals from the beach at Horsey Gap yesterday. See PA story ANIMALS Seals. Photo credit should read: Joe Giddens/PA Wire PA Third seal found with frisbee embedded in its neck off Norfolk coast seals-14.jpg Friends of Horsey Seals Third seal found with frisbee embedded in its neck off Norfolk coast seals-4.jpg A grey seal named Pinkafo recuperates in an outdoor pool at RSPCA East Winch Wildlife Centre in Norfolk. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Thursday April 4, 2019. The cow was rescued by Friends of Horsey Seals in December 2018 with a plastic frisbee embedded in her neck. See PA story ANIMALS Seals. Photo credit should read: Joe Giddens/PA Wire PA Third seal found with frisbee embedded in its neck off Norfolk coast seals-5.jpg A grey seal named Pinkafo recuperates in an outdoor pool at RSPCA East Winch Wildlife Centre in Norfolk. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Thursday April 4, 2019. The cow was rescued by Friends of Horsey Seals in December 2018 with a plastic frisbee embedded in her neck. See PA story ANIMALS Seals. Photo credit should read: Joe Giddens/PA Wire PA Third seal found with frisbee embedded in its neck off Norfolk coast seals-11.jpg An injured grey seal which has been spotted today with netting around its neck at Blakeney Point on the Norfolk coast. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Wednesday April 3, 2019. The RSPCA has reported an increase in the number of incidents of seals caught in plastics in recent years. See PA story ANIMALS Seals. Photo credit should read: Joe Giddens/PA Wire PA Third seal found with frisbee embedded in its neck off Norfolk coast seals-1.jpg An injured grey seal which has been spotted today with netting around its neck at Blakeney Point on the Norfolk coast. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Wednesday April 3, 2019. The RSPCA has reported an increase in the number of incidents of seals caught in plastics in recent years. See PA story ANIMALS Seals. Photo credit should read: Joe Giddens/PA Wire PA Third seal found with frisbee embedded in its neck off Norfolk coast seals-9.jpg A grey seal found on Wednesday, which has been named Sir David, recuperates in an isolation cubicle after having a plastic frisbee removed from his neck at RSPCA East Winch Wildlife Centre in Norfolk, . PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Thursday April 4, 2019. The 125kg bull was rescued by Friends of Horsey Seals from the beach at Horsey Gap yesterday. See PA story ANIMALS Seals. Photo credit should read: Joe Giddens/PA Wire PA

Scientists used the Continuous Plankton Recorder (CPR), an unusual object used to collect plankton and survey the ocean, for the study.

The CPR has been towed behind vessels, such as ferries and and container ships, since 1931.

Its primary purpose is to collect plankton but over decades, pieces of litter including macroplastics and microplastics, have become entangled in it.

Microplastics are small plastic fragments, measuring under 5mm, which pollute the environment. Macroplastics are larger pieces, measuring over 2mm.

Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events

Publishing their findings in the journal Nature, the researchers said the amount of macroplastics in the ocean had significantly increased since the 1990s.

They noted “a peak” in macroplastic entanglement between 2009 and 2011.

There was also evidence of fewer plastic bags being retrieved since 2000 onwards.

“What is unique about this work is we have been able to demonstrate the increase in ocean plastic since the 1990s,”said Clare Ostle, the study’s lead author and a researcher at the Marine Biological Association.