Alan O’Neill of Fly ‘n’ Lure tells us that Members of the Irish Coastguard along with regular visitors to Saleens, Tramore, Co. Waterford had a beach clean up on December Sat 29th with the full support of Waterford’s City and County Councils. Thankfully a good crowd of volunteers attended and after talking with one of the organisers, Jim Griffin, he informed me the clean up operation was a total success and his intention is now, to make the day’s activity a regular occurrence.
On the day numerous black council sacks were filled with collected house hold and commercial waste, all of which litter was found discarded on, or near the beach. Saleens, the surrounding back strand and Kilmacleague northern shore area is jointly, a marine nursery and a special area of conservation due to the high number of migrating and resident shore birds. No coastal area should be left vulnerable to any form of disregard especially when they are SPA and SAC. Thankfully after attention being brought to the proper authority, video protection systems have been tried and are now being fitted in the area as to prevent further disposal of waste material.
People must be made aware of the devastating effect plastic, rubber, foam and materials alike can cause not only to marine species but to the much inhabited wildlife in all coastal areas. Scottish commercials certainly have good management of their fishing fleets and one positive step forward is the fish for litter plan. A successful operation that has taken hundreds of tonnes of rubbish from the sea and has helped in the prevention of further damage to marine and coastal ecosystems . Click here- Fishing For Litter
Alan O’Neill
Fly n” Lure Web: www.flynlureblogspot.ie
E-Mail: [email protected]
