Turn the tide on marine litter with beach clean

Why don’t you come along and help clean up and be part of global movement turning the tide on marine litter?

Local Marine Conservation Society volunteers need your help to ensure local beaches remain clean and safe for all.

Castlerock and Portrush beaches will be receiving a thorough clean on as part of Beachwatch, the Marine Conservation Society’s (MCS) beach clean and litter survey which aims to highlight the issues of beach litter around the UK’s coastline.

Local Beachwatch organiser Tracy Platt from the Northern Ireland Environment Agency says she would like to see more volunteers than ever before lend a hand to make this latest clean of the biggest yet.

The event in Castlerock takes place on Friday starting at 10.30am and it promises to be a fun and informative social occasion.

The Portrush clean-up takes place on Saturday at 1.30pm at the Coastal Zone.

“The tide of litter washing up on our shores is not just unpleasant to look at, it can harm and even kill some of our best-loved marine wildlife,” said Tracy.

“Over 170 species including seabirds, turtles and whales have mistaken marine litter for food and actually eaten it, which in many cases has resulted in starvation, poisoning and ultimately a slow, painful death.

“Plastic packaging and discarded fishing nets also injure, entangle and drown some of Britain’s favourite marine animals, including seals and dolphins.”