Newsletter Issue 10 - Summer 2017 Newsletter Issue 10 - Summer 2017
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Newsletter Issue 10 - Summer 2017 Newsletter Issue 10 - Summer 2017 Hello & Welcome to the Summer 2017 edition of Marine Litter Watch Hello & Welcome by Susan Cramer, Marine and Fisheries Division, DAERA Read More... Thank you to everyone who has The Fish Cemetery plastic waste destroys the eco-system Updates contributed by sending articles, news Our cover image is of an installation of aquatic organisms and results in Read More... and updates. Looking at the events called the “Fish Cemetery”. The image harmful effects to marine life. The table an interesting and productive was taken by a DAERA colleague message is the same the world over; News summer lies ahead. who recently visited Cochin in the we must work together to address the Read More... Indian State of Kerala. The installation problem of marine litter. There are some great events to is a collaboration between the Coastwatch 2016 Annual participate in and also exciting Central Marine Fisheries Research Report developments at a local, national and Institute and the Kochi and Cochin Read More... international level. These reflect the Shipyard Limited. The objective of Beer tin on the sea bed growing recognition that marine litter the installation is to remind people is a serious pressure on the marine that the world is fast approaching a Litter survey environment and a major global scenario in which non-biodegradable around Portaferry in Strangford Lough environmental concern. Read More... Managing litter pollution in Larne Lough Read More... Adopt a Spot Read More... Events Table key dates for your diary Read More... Glenarm Beach Clean May 2016 continued 2 Newsletter Issue 10 - Summer 2017 Hello & Welcome continued Article Summary Portaferry since September 2016. Hello & Welcome This edition focuses on the clean-up Gwen reports on the data she has Read More... captured and identifies practical Plastic Challenge and data capture activities that people are taking around the coast. solutions to address the problem. Inspired by Kate Wilson’s article in the Updates Summer 2016 edition of Marine Litter Read More... Elaine Smith, from Mid and East Watch, a colleague and I undertook Antrim Borough Council describes the Marine Conservation’s Plastic how council is working with News Challenge 2017 in June. The Challenge volunteers to address the problem of Read More... really highlighted how dependent marine litter in Larne Lough around we are on plastic and also how time the mouth of the River Inver. consuming it is to live without it. Coastwatch 2016 Annual Report In spite of our best Read More... efforts we were unable to totally Litter survey eliminate plastic. around Portaferry in Strangford Lough However, we greatly Read More... reduced our usage, The magazine opens with an with measures like article by Karin Dubsky who is replacing ziplock bags Managing litter pollution the international coordinator for with Tupperware and in Larne Lough Coastwatch. Coastwatch undertakes using reusable coffee Read More... an annual survey of biodiversity and cups instead of the litter on the island of Ireland. The carry-out versions. I Coastwatch Survey is now in its 30th Adopt A Spot- Rathlin Adopt a Spot bought a pasta maker year and Karin reports on results and Would you be interested in adopting Read More... which helped a lot. It observations from the 2016 Survey. a spot? Jodie McAneaney, from was truly a challenging month! I also Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful went to St Georges market to buy fruit Events Table Gwen Moncoiffé, a volunteer litter describes how you can join Adopt A and vegetables. key dates for your diary picker, describes the monthly clean- Spot volunteers and help to revitalise Read More... ups she has carried out north of communities across Northern Ireland. 3 Newsletter Issue 10 - Summer 2017 DAERA Marine and Ban on microbeads environment and will apply to solid Hello & Welcome microplastic ingredients <5mm in size Read More... Fisheries Division in every dimension. These are used as Update Over 400 responses were received to the consultation on proposals to ban an ingredients in rinse-off cosmetics Updates and personal care products including; Skerries and Causeway Coast SAC the use of micro beads in cosmetics Read More... and personal care products in the exfoliating scrubs, shower gels and Site Management Plan toothpastes. Within DAERA Marine and Fisheries UK. The ban is good news for the News Division work is continuing to help Read More... address the problem of marine litter. Staff in our Marine Conservation Coastwatch 2016 Annual and Reporting Team are looking Report at ways to address marine litter via Read More... the draft Management Plan for the Skerries and Causeway Special Area of Conservation. We are building on Litter survey work already undertaken through around Portaferry in Strangford Lough the Rathlin Island European Marine Read More... Site Management Group. Rathlin Island is protected as a Special Area of Conservation (SAC), Special Protection Managing litter pollution Area and in December 2016 was in Larne Lough designated as a Marine Conservation Read More... Zone. In July 2016 DAERA staff assessed the extent of marine litter in Adopt a Spot the Rathlin area, noting the location of Read More... large items of metal and plastic. This is a rocky reef, one of the designated features of the SAC Events Table key dates for your diary Read More... continued 4 Newsletter Issue 10 - Summer 2017 Updates continued Mysterious blue balls rubber and should degrade in the Hello & Welcome on the North Down marine environment. Read More... Response to Consultation Shore The majority of responses to the AES take the system out of service Updates consultation were supportive of the We passed the balls to colleagues Read More... In March 2017 in the Industrial Pollution and we received Radiochemical Inspectorate team who a call from a informed AES, the operator of Kilroot News gentleman Power Station about the issue. AES Read More... who lives in the responded promptly to our request Carnalea area who had noticed small, and agreed to investigate whether Coastwatch 2016 Annual bright blue, sponge balls appearing the Taprogge balls originated from Report on the coast. He kindly delivered the the plant. AES took the system out Read More... balls to our premises in Belfast. A of service as a precaution until the colleague did a Google search which results of the investigation were Image courtesy of Alliance of the Great suggested that these were Taprogge complete. Litter survey Lakes balls. around Portaferry in Strangford Lough The system was cleaned and had its ban. However, there were mixed Read More... Taprogge balls valves replaced. It has since been opinions on whether the ban should Taprogge balls are used in the returned to service. be extended to other products. A copy condenser cleaning system of power Managing litter pollution of the Government Response is now stations. The balls are made of natural Partnership between AES and in Larne Lough available from our website. Ulster Wildlife Read More... As reported in this and previous Legislation in Northern Ireland issues of Marine Litter Watch, AES has DAERA is working to develop legislation Adopt a Spot a long-term partnership with Ulster under Article 32 of the Waste and Read More... Wildlife and conducts quarterly beach Contaminated Land (Northern Ireland) cleans as part of the ‘Adopt a Spot’ Order 1997 to establish the ban in initiative run by Keep Northern Ireland Events Table Northern Ireland. We anticipate that this Beautiful. key dates for your diary will be consulted on later in 2017. Read More... Kilroot beach Clean 5 Newsletter Issue 10 - Summer 2017 News discovered they had chewed their way Hello & Welcome through the plastic. Read More... Scientific eXXpedition Follow up test visits Belfast on 15th Updates In a follow up test, run in conjunction Read More... August with Cambridge University, 100 wax worms were placed in a plastic bag. After 40 minutes holes appeared and News over 12 hours 92 micrograms of plastic Read More... Putting out the trawl was consumed and the polymer An all female team of volunteers chains within the plastic were broken Coastwatch 2016 Annual plans to set sail from Plymouth on Cafe and Odyssey Pavilion to discuss down. Report 7th August 2017 in a 72 foot yacht the presence of plastics and other Read More... called Sea Dragon. The volunteer toxins in the seas; how they get there crew includes scientists, artists, and the harm they do to the marine Litter survey photographers, educators, business environment and ultimately everyone. around Portaferry in Strangford Lough women and psychologists. Wax moth caterpillar- Image courtesy of Read More... Wax moth could help Andrew Tyzack Purpose dispose of plastic waste The purpose of the eXXpedition is to Managing litter pollution undertake a scientific survey in the Next Steps in Larne Lough An accidental discovery by Spanish waters around the UK and to engage The next step will be identifying the Read More... with local communities about the scientist and bee keeper, Dr. Feerica molecular process by which the larvae presence of plastic pollution and other Bertocchini, could revolutionise the break down plastic and attempting to toxins in the sea. way we dispose of plastic waste. isolate the enzyme responsible. Adopt a Spot Dr. Bertoccini found some wax moth Currently around 38% of discarded Read More... 15th August: A day of activities larvae in one of her hives. These larvae waste in Europe ends up in landfill The Sea Dragon will be berthed in eat honey and infest beehives. sites. Perhaps this research could help Events Table Dr. Bertocchini removed the larvae Belfast from 14th to 16th August. The reduce this figure? key dates for your diary volunteers plan a day of activities on and placed them in a plastic bag.