Marine Litter
Marine litter is defined as any material discarded, disposed of or abandoned that ends up in the sea and coastal environment. Containing durable materials marine litter is not just unsightly but can be dangerous to people and wildlife as it accumulates and worsens over time. Plastic is the most common type of marine litter and because is it often durable and buoyant it travels great distances to become an international problem. Although there is no simple solution to resolve the global issue of marine litter there are many initiatives to tackle plastic pollution.
The variety of debris found differs on every beach and what is washed up is largely influenced by wind and waves. Most of the debris originates from land and is carried out to sea by wind, rivers, drainage and sewerage systems. Marine activities are also a source of debris with lost or discarded fishing gear being a particular problem.
Solway Firth Partnership share the Scottish Government’s vision of a ‘clean, healthy, safe, productive and biologically diverse marine and coastal environment that meets the long-term needs of people and nature’. Scottish Government’s Marine Directorate have set out measures and actions to try and tackle marine litter in A Marine Litter Strategy for Scotland.
Pollution Solutions
Marine litter has received increasing awareness and action in the Solway over recent years with volunteers removing debris from the shore. Join Community Beach Cleans to help make a positive change.
Solway Firth Partnership is currently running the Solway Shore Action Project which has the ambition to have over 200 miles of cleaner coastline in Dumfries and Galloway.
Volunteer action removes marine litter and helps raise awareness and promote positive change. We also support Education Activities to help encourage behaviour change that will lead to a reduction in the amount of plastics that enter our seas.
There are many local, national and international initiatives to tackle marine litter. The problem of disposing of fishing related litter is being addressed through the Fishing for Litter Project.
The Great Nurdle Hunt gathers evidence of the spread of nurdles in the marine environment. Nurdles are small plastic pellets about the size of a lentil that are used each year to make nearly all our plastic products. They can end up in the marine food chain and are increasingly a cause for concern.
