A lesser known but emerging issue, recreational fishing debris and the anglers' opinions in South Korea

The abundance and characteristics of marine debris originating from recreational fishing were examined across 55 sites in four different regions in Korea. The result shows that the average abundance of debris was 4.3 ± 4.2 (n/m2) in terms of the number and 13.4 ± 18.1 (g/m2) in terms of the weight, and the most often found item was fishing lines (50 % agreed with the introduction of recreational fishing licenses. This study highlights the urgent need to raise awareness and address the undervalued problem of recreational fishing debris. [Display omitted] •Marine recreational fishing debris and anglers' perceptions in Korea were surveyed.•Fishing line was the most abundant item, followed by fishing hook.•The bottom type significantly impacted the abundance of debris.•Anglers preferred the installation of trash bins to reduce marine debris.•Majority of anglers agreed with fishing license or permit.