Cleaning Beaches Together in Dumfries and Galloway.
Beach clean volunteers, farmers and fishers have been working together to remove more than 5 tonnes of litter from some of the more difficult to reach bays.
The Dumfries and Galloway coastline is long and varied and its many beaches are popular places to visit for bracing walks to family fun paddling and making sandcastles. Sadly though, like much of the UK coast, there is a problem of litter washed in by the sea and it is a particular issue where it has accumulated in the more remote locations.
As part of the Solway Marine Litter Project supported by the Scottish Government, Solway Firth Partnership are delighted to have been able to assist established and newly formed beach clean groups who strive to clean up beaches for the benefit of wildlife and ensure our coast is a great place for people to visit and enjoy.
Groups like D&G Eco-warriors and ONUS (Oceans Need Us) SW Scotland are making a significant contribution to the health of our seas and coast. Volunteers often work with farmers to join forces to take positive action and help provide solutions when the beach is difficult to access. On several occasions farmers have provided tractors and trailers on the shore to help transport debris gathered by volunteers to rubbish pickup points or skips.
By collaborating with the Galloway Static Gear Fishermen’s Association volunteers from ONUS are making make sure that where possible local fishing gear such as creels and buoys are reunited with the people who have lost them. Port William fisherman Paul Maguire says “local fishermen are passionate about the marine environment and the need to keep it clean and healthy” and points out how improvements continue to be made “the harbour has recently erected fenced compounds to stop fishing equipment going astray and fishermen have a contract with a waste management company to take away and recycle used polystyrene bait boxes”.
Solway Firth Partnership will continue to work with volunteers, farmers and fishers to achieve the ambition to have over 200 miles of cleaner coastline in Dumfries and Galloway.