26
Talking about wildlife with
Marine Litter Marine litter consists of man made objects found in the coastal and marine environment. These are items that have been discarded accidentally or carelessly, and their many sources include fishing and other commercial vessels, household and industrial waste and objects discarded by the public, beach goers and tourists. They are predominantly made of persistent, slowly degradable materials such as glass, polystyrene, metal and plastic. The latter, according to th e M ar i n e C o ns erva ti o n So c ie ty ’s Beachwatch campaign, forms about 50 per cent of the total litter and may remain indefinitely! Marine litter is not just unsightly, but a major ecological and economical problem. It is costly to clean up and ex tr em e ly d e tr im e nta l t o w il dl if e, affecting hundreds of different species. The biggest dangers are ingestion and entanglement, and it is estimated that 100,000 marine mammals and turtles and one million seabirds are killed every year by litter. Balloons are particularly fatal to turtles, which mistake them for jellyfish and eat them. Even tiny filter-feeding animals ingest small plastic particles and toxic chemicals from pollution spills. Sadly these toxins are known to accumulate as they travel up the food chain causing all manner of harm to animals.
SO November 2010 page 26
The rapidly increasing problem of marine litter is a global one, and needs to be tackled on a universal as well as regional and local level. It has been reported by the Marine Conservation Society that even on Dorset beaches, marine litter is alarmingly on the increase, affecting our wildlife; dolphins, seabirds and many other species. It is important that everyone helps safeguard our coastal environment by taking simple measures: making sure that household waste and plastic are properly disposed of or recycled, never using the toilet as a bin and by purchasing fewer items with unnecessary packaging. Those seeking to ‘do their bit for marine life’ are welcome to volunteer on biannual beach cleans organised by Dorset Wildlife Trust. For more information about marine volunteering, see www.dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk or ring the Marine Officers on 01929 481044.
Tuesday, November 02, 2010 15:36 Black Magenta Yellow Cyan