Abstract
Floating debris was observed using a training ship, KAYA, of Pukyong National University with cruising speed of about 10-12 knot during July 12~25, 2003. The area sampled was the East Sea enclosed by 3 nations, namely, Korea, Japan and Russia, and was divided into 68 unit segments on survey routes [Fig. 1]. Debris fabrication materials were categorized with 6 items, e.g., man-made or natural wood items, paper and cardboard, nylon rope, styrofoam, vinyl and plastic, floating metal and glass containers. All identified items within $100{\pm}10 m$ wide band were recorded but ignored if beyond this boundary. The results of this study are as follows: 1. The average numbers of debris per unit area, $1km^2$, were found as 16.3 pieces (items) in the sea. 2. The highest densities of numbers, $32.3pieces/km^2$, were discovered in vicinity of the Oki strait of Japan, area of 'NEK' in Fig. 1. 3. Especially, styrofoam item only was composed to 63.6% of all in the sea of 'SD', located in the southern part of Dokdo Island, Korea. The item seems to be derive from the Southern Sea of Korea. 4. Therefore, comparing the distribution of debris numbers (the results of above 2 and 3) with flow patterns of Kuroshio currents, it was shown that their relation was good agree each other. Further more surveys are being conducted and a much wider coverage can be achieved with other countries, then it can be obtained that the East Sea is polluted to some extent, where is the origin of debris, and the finding of floating routes and stationary sea.