Marine Life & Conservation
Supermarket support helps marine charity clean up rivers as well as beaches
20 river cleans planned as part of Marine Conservation Society and Waitrose partnership
The UK’s leading marine charity, the Marine Conservation Society (MCS), will be cleaning up river banks and recording the litter found for the first time, thanks to the support of one of the country’s leading supermarkets. MCS has been working with Waitrose since last summer on the Waitrose Beach and River Clean-up series. So far, almost 700 beach cleans have taken place involving over 10,000 volunteers. Now, the charity is about to launch a series of 20 river cleans using a similar recording system it uses at its beach cleans. MCS will be joining forces with leading waterways charity Thames21 in a pilot project to investigate the link between river and marine litter.
Waitrose has donated £500,000 from its carrier bag funds to MCS allowing the charity to put on more clean-ups and mobilise larger numbers of volunteers than ever before in the fight back against the rising tide of plastic litter on our beaches and now in rivers, too. The cleans will be delivered with Thames 21, who work with communities to shape and deliver sustainable environmental change for rivers, with the ultimate vision of putting healthy rivers at the heart of community life. Rivers are being harmed by a variety of different pollutants, including large amounts of plastic. The litter found in the UK’s rivers eventually ends up in our coastal waters. MCS says that recording the types of litter found in certain tributaries of the country’s most iconic river – the Thames – will give the charity a more complete picture of source to sea journey of litter.
Lauren Eyles, MCS Beachwatch Manager says the introduction of river cleans will support the growth of the MCS’ beach clean programme, which leads the way in collecting coastal litter data:
“These cleans, along the Thames corridor this spring and summer as part of our Waitrose Beach and River Clean project funded by Waitrose, will give us a greater opportunity to increase our understanding of the link between inland behaviour and litter on our beaches. We think it will have a positive impact on individual behaviour of Waitrose staff, customers who will be encouraged to take part along with the wider public.”
The charity will be collating the data it collects from the 20 planned events and using it as a pilot study to look at comparisons with beach litter data. We already know that 80% of ocean plastic comes from landfill and enters the sea via our rivers. MCS will be collaborating with Thames21 at sites including Maidenhead, Thame, Staines and Reading.
“Rivers are undeniably a conduit for plastic and other litter to enter the marine environment, yet we need to better understand how this is happening,” said Debbie Leach, CEO of Thames21. “Once the relationship between how litter moves from the land into our rivers and seas is more deeply understood, we can then identify ways to prevent it. Thanks to data collected from our Thames River Watch citizen science programme, we are already documenting the scale of the problem on the Thames. Last year, we found 4500 wet wipes in just one spot of the Thames foreshore in a single day, making it the highest number of wet wipes ever recorded in one place. By collaborating with MCS, we are building a clearer picture on the links between river litter and marine litter and collectively helping to solve one of the most pressing issues our rivers and oceans face today.”
Tor Harris, Head of Responsible Sourcing and Sustainability at Waitrose, said: “Supporting the Marine Conservation Society’s beach and river cleans is one of many ways we are trying to help the environment. We’ve committed to making all our own-label packaging widely recyclable (using the widely recycled logo), reusable or home compostable by 2025. From September 2018 we will also stop selling packs of plastic straws. We were the first supermarket to stop selling products containing microbeads and exclusively sell paper-stem cotton buds. We’re excited for as many people as possible to join us in cleaning our local rivers to improve them for wildlife and all of us.”
The first river clean up in the Waitrose Beach and River Clean-up series will take place at Totteridge in the London Borough of Barnet on Wednesday 21st February at 11am. Led by Thames21, volunteers can help clean up the Dollis Brook, which leads to the River Thames via the River Brent.
To register and find out about all 20 river cleans visit – www.mcsuk.org/beachwatch/events
Marine Life & Conservation
Leading UK-based shark conservation charity, the Shark Trust, is delighted to announce tour operator Diverse Travel as a Corporate Patron
Corporate Patrons provide a valuable boost to the work of The Shark Trust. The Trust team works globally to safeguard the future of sharks, and their close cousins, the skates and rays, engaging with a global network of scientists, policymakers, conservation professionals, businesses and supporters to further shark conservation.
Specialist tour operator Diverse Travel has operated since 2014 and is committed to offering its guests high quality, sustainable scuba diving holidays worldwide. Working together with the Shark Trust will enable both organisations to widen engagement and encourage divers and snorkellers to actively get involved in shark conservation.
“Sharks are truly at the heart of every diver and at Diverse Travel, we absolutely share that passion. There is nothing like seeing a shark in the wild – it’s a moment that stays with you forever!” says Holly Bredin, Sales & Marketing Manager, Diverse Travel.
“We’re delighted to celebrate our 10th year of business by becoming a Corporate Patron of the Shark Trust. This is an exciting partnership for Diverse and our guests. We will be donating on behalf of every person who books a holiday with us to contribute towards their vital shark conservation initiatives around the world. We will also be working together with the Trust to inspire divers, snorkellers and other travellers to take an active role – at home and abroad – in citizen science projects and other activities.”
Paul Cox, CEO of The Shark Trust, said:
“It’s an exciting partnership and we’re thrilled to be working with Diverse Travel to enable more divers and travellers to get involved with sharks and shark conservation. Sharks face considerable conservation challenges but, through collaboration and collective action, we can secure a brighter future for sharks and their ocean home. This new partnership takes us one more valuable step towards that goal.”
For more information about the Shark Trust visit their website here.
For more about Diverse Travel click here.
Marine Life & Conservation
Shark Trust Asks Divers to help with Shark Sightings this Global Citizen Science Month
Whether you are stuck for ideas of what to do with the kids or are off on the dive trip of your dreams. You can get involved in Citizen Science Month and help the Shark Trust by providing vital data about sharks are rays both close to home and further afield.
In addition to reporting the sharks and rays you see on your dives, the eggcases you find on the beach, the Shark Trust is looking for some specific data from divers who are asked to report any Oceanic Whitetip and Basking Sharks.
Oceanic Whitetip Sharks
The Shark Trust are looking specifically for Oceanic Whitetip Shark sightings over the coming weeks and months. So, if you are diving anywhere in the world, please report your sightings via the website or app.
Website: https://recording.sharktrust.org/
App: Search The Shark Trust in your app store
The Oceanic Whitetip. Known for their incredibly long dorsal and pectoral fins, this species was once the most abundant oceanic-pelagic species of shark on the planet.
Large and stocky, they are grey or brown above, and white below and famous for their huge rounded first dorsal fin and paddle-like pectoral fins. The fins also highly prized within the shark fin trade. Whilst they are mostly solitary, Oceanic Whitetips do occasionally hunt in groups.
An inquisitive species, they were easy prey for fisheries. Combined with their low reproductive rate, they were inevitably at high risk of population depletion. And declines of up to 99% have been reported in certain sea areas. They are listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Redlist (2019).
Conservation efforts to discourage further declines include listing on CITES Appendix II and CMS Appendix I. They’re also the only species prohibited from take by all the Tuna RFMOs (Regional Fisheries Management Organisations). However, these measures do not mean that Oceanic Whitetips are not still caught – whether targeted or as bycatch – in some parts of the world. With populations declining at such a high rate, effective implementation of management measures is essential to ensure that the species can recover.
If you are lucky enough to get an image of an Oceanic Whitetip and you record your sighting on the Shark Trust app or website YOU CAN WIN! All images submitted with sightings, that also give consent to use in conservation messaging, will be in with a chance to win an Oceanic Whitetip T-shirt and mug. The competition will run until the end of “Shark Month” in July – so keep those sightings (and images) coming in.
Basking Sharks
Basking Shark (Cetorhinus maximus) season is upon us, and the Shark Trust is asking everyone to keep an eye out for these majestic giants over the summer months. If you see any, you can record your sighting to the Basking Shark Sightings database.
Each year, these mighty fish return to British waters to feed on plankton. You may see one, (or a few if you’re really lucky) from around April-October. They can be seen feeding at the surface of the water, where they look like they’re basking in the sun. Thus, their name!
Sighting hotspots around the British Isles include southwest England, Isle of Man, north coast of Ireland, and western Scotland. The Sea of the Hebrides is the most prolific sightings area in Scotland, but they have been spotted all around the coast and have even ventured into some of the sea lochs. The Shark Trust has received thousands of sightings since the Basking Shark project began, but more data is needed to truly understand what is going on with population numbers and distribution. You can help by recording your sightings this summer.
Great Eggcase Hunt
The Shark Trust has an Easter Egg Hunt with a difference for you to try. Take part in the Great Eggcase Hunt and get involved with a big citizen science project that helps shark, ray and skate conservation. And it’s an enjoyable activity for all the family.
The Shark Trust also want snorkellers and divers to record their underwater eggcase findings. Underwater records help pinpoint exactly where sharks and skates are laying their eggs and can help link to beach records. Learning the depth and substrate that they lay on also helps better understand the species.
Find out more: https://www.sharktrust.org/great-eggcase-hunt
Whether you are diving, snorkelling or exploring on the beach you can take part in Citizen Science Month and get actively involved in shark and ray conservation. Find out more: www.sharktrust.org
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