Spatial pattern and weight of seabed marine litter in the northern and central Adriatic Sea

•First assessment of marine litter distribution on the seabed of GSA 17.•The manuscript depicts the status of marine litter on a regional scale.•Maps are produced either for the overall litter and for the main litter categories.•The study identifies the possible sources of some litter items.•The results constitute a starting step for marine litter monitoring in the area.