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Guernsey will officially be supporting 'collaborative action' to protect our seas and shoreline from marine litter, it has been announced.
This comes following a review of a recent British Irish Council symposium, where a number of work streams were discussed and approved.
Plans now include developing a solution for the recycling of end-of-life fishing gear, data collection on marine litter through the promotion of a new ‘Coastal Clean Up’ app, improving education about marine litter, and reducing the loss into the environment of pre-production plastic pellets (nurdles).
With the support of the Committee for the Environment and Infrastructure, these will be progressed locally by the Biodiversity Partnership and the Committee in conjunction with the other members of the British Irish Council.
Pictured: Deputy Barry Brehaut.
"The British-Irish Council Marine Litter Symposium hosted by the Scottish Government, has reinforced the message that protecting our marine environment requires a united, global approach," Deputy Barry Brehaut, President of E&I, said.
"I was particularly impressed with the format of the symposium, the dialogue, the exchange of views, the lecture theatre setting made the meeting a more inclusive event. This agreement between members of the British-Irish Council now fully endorsed by members of this Committee is a welcome step in taking international action to protect our seas and shorelines."
Last month’s Marine Litter Symposium, which was attended by Environment Ministers from across the British Irish Council’s member administrations, took place at Strathclyde University’s Technology and Innovation Centre and was chaired by Scottish Cabinet Secretary Roseanna Cunningham.
Lisa Duggan, Environment Services Officer, Agriculture, Countryside and Land Management Services, added: “The issues we face in Guernsey in relation to marine plastics are very real and happening now. Last month, ACLMS were made aware of an influx of thousands of nurdles brought in on one high tide at Grandes Rocques. There is no time like the present to take action to tackle marine plastic pollution at source, so the British-Irish Council’s support of ‘Operation Clean Sweep’, which aims to reduce pellet loss through a full supply chain approach is very welcome.”
Pictured top: An example of plastic build up on shorelines.
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