Microbial communities associated with plastic fishing nets: diversity, potentially pathogenic and hydrocarbon degrading bacteria

Abandoned, lost or otherwise discarded fishing gear (ALDFG) represent a major source of marine plastic litter pollution. Similar to other plastic litter, these items can provide a new surface for the growth of biofilms harboring distinct microbial communities, containing potential opportunistic pathogens or pollutant-degrading microorganisms. While knowledge is increasing for marine plastic litter and microplastic-associated biofilms, there is a gap on the plastisphere research for fishing gear. This study aimed to comprehend the structure and dynamics of the microbial communities attached to plastic fishing nets, mimicking a scenario when lost at sea, but also to assess if polymer type can influence these communities. For that, a one-year in situ experiment was employed inside a recreational marina (port of Leixões, Portugal), using 3 types of plastic fishing nets (Braided Polyethylene (PE), Braided Nylon and Thin Nylon) submersed in the seawater. Seasonal samplings of nets and surrounding seawater were performed for microbial community analysis by 16 S rRNA metabarcoding. One month-old-nets samples were additionally collected for cultivation of bacterial strains in the laboratory. In general, microbial communities found in the biofilms attached to fishing nets were taxonomically distinct and more diverse, when compared to the surrounding seawater. Biofilm communities were not shaped by the polymer type, instead, they displayed a succession pattern over time. Biofilm communities were predominantly composed of the phyla Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes and Verrucomicrobiota. Additionally, the families Sphingomonadaceae, Rubritaleaceae, Rhizobiaceae and Saprospiraceae were specifically associated with fishing net biofilms. From the 3 nets, a total of 123 bacterial strains from 46 bacterial genera were recovered. The genera Acinetobacter, Bacillus, Rhodococcus, Shewanella, Streptomyces and Vibrio were common to all nets. Commonly associated hydrocarbon and plastic - degrading taxa were highly abundant in the biofilm communities (> 2% abundance) and some were even possible to cultivate in laboratory. In addition, biofilm communities presented as well, potentially pathogenic genera, such as Clostridium and Mycobacterium, but in low abundances (< 1%). With this work, a deeper knowledge on the plastisphere associated with different plastic fishing gear was obtained, along with the isolation of bacterial strains with potential for future exploration of plastic biodegradation.