Ireland’s leading maritime newspaper covering the Coastal, Fishing and Maritime Communities
MARINE TIMES NEWS April 1st:
Volunteers remove a skip full of marine litter in just one hour from Blacksod Bay Beach
A group of 25 people including 8 local school children turned out in the rain to take part in a pier and beach clean at Blacksod Bay Beach on Sunday 30th March as part of the Clean Coasts Roadshow events.
Volunteers and Clean Coasts Officer Olivia Jones with the Litter removed from Blacksod at their Beach Clean on Sunday 30th March
The event was supported by Bord Iascaigh Mhara’s (BIM) Co-ordinated Local Aquaculture Management Systems (CLAMS) initiative. Others in attendance included, members of the local community, local fishers, businesses such as Blacksod Sea Safari, Dúlra Iris Seaweed, and organisations such as the Mayo Irish Whale & Dolphin group, Mayo Volunteer Centre and the local interpretive center Solas Eachléim Centre - where light refreshments were served following the clean-up.
The event also included a talk on marine litter, highlighting the issues, and some of the support available to coastal communities from the organisations in attendance.
In just over an hour, the attendees had removed a 12 cubic yard sized skip full of waste from the coastline. This consisted of 28 bags of marine litter, entangled rope and nets, and numerous lobster pots.
This clean-up is part of a series of coastal clean-ups taking place in Europe under the INTTERREG Atlantic Area funded project Free LitterAT project. Clean Coasts are currently working with project partners towards litter-free Atlantic coastlines and you find out more at www.freelitterat.eu
Clean Coasts Development Officer for Mayo, Olivia Jones said, “Clean Coasts were delighted to join forces with BIM’s CLAMS initiative to host a coastal clean-up event in Blacksod last Saturday morning. Despite the rain, there was a great turnout from the local community, and it was all hands-on deck following a series of talks relating to marine litter and ocean health. Following the clean-up, refreshments were served in the new Solas Eachléim Centre, which allowed time to reflect on what had been achieved and forward plans for the next clean-up. This type of event really demonstrates the positive impact we can have on our environment and our sense of place in the community when we pull together for our localities.”
The Clean Coasts Roadshow is a series of informative talks and workshops tailored for coastal communities across Ireland, taking place between January and May each year. This initiative brings together individuals interested in protecting their local beaches, seas, and marine environments.
The Roadshow events cover a range of topics, including biodiversity, dune systems, marine litter, wildlife, sustainable developments, and the work of local groups and organizations. These events also serve as a platform for community groups to discuss practical matters, such as building volunteer capacity, attracting new members, and sharing responsibilities.
