Guernsey beach cleans and marine litter

Marine debris and particularly floating plastic is a major hazard for wildlife. Seabirds, turtles and marine mammals may ingest plastic, which may cause their death. Discarded plastic erodes to microscopic particles, which can enter the human food chain. Some plastic softeners may mimic endocrine hormones which impact reproduction.

Marine debris washes up on the Guernsey shore regularly. Much of it is from ships including fishing boats. Storms bring up broken crab and lobster pots. Beach cleaners often find an odd shoe, cigarette lighters, plastic polymer fishing rope, twine, and line, pieces of polystyrene and insulation foam, plastic bags and plastic bottles, and thousands of pieces of hard plastic including disposable plastic cutlery, plastic bottle tops and plastic toys.

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Beach litter collected at Pleinmont on Guernsey's south west coast on the 16th July 2021

The cobble and pebble beach south of The Fairy Ring or 'Table des Pions' is a collection point for golf balls and polystyrene pieces.

This beach can be heavily littered but it is regularly litter picked by volunteers.

On the 16th July there was very litter litter on the shore. Notable litter items included the Sun D'Or plastic water bottle from The Netherlands, which has been dumped by a passing ship, the plastic balloon, the pieces of polyurethane, which are a regular litter item on this beach, and the two golf balls.

File No. 160721 1368
©RLLord
sealordphoto@gmail.com
marinelitterguernsey@gmail.com

Pleinmont Sun D'Or plastic water bottle balloon electric wiring golf ball polyurethane foam pieces rubber belt protection for shellfish pots twisted rope

Sealord photography's biodiversity images began with a focus on international commercial seafood species and the marine life of the Bailiwick of Guernsey, Great Britain.

Sealord photography has a growing collection of digital images covering climate change, the environment and sustainability issues.

Sealord photography also covers the Guernsey community and particularly the fund raising activities of Guernsey charities as part of the island's social sustainability.

The fish, shellfish and marine life images would not be possible if it were not for the generosity of commercial and recreational fishermen in Guernsey, and seafood suppliers at various trade shows in the USA, and wholesalers at Fulton Fish Market in New York City.

Many marine biologists have helped identify or confirm the identity of marine species photographed. These people have been mentioned when possible.

Please email: sealord@me.com or sustainableguernsey@gmail.com if you have any questions or comments about Sealord photography. Thank you. Richard Lord

Thank you for visiting Sealord photography on Smugmug.

Sealord photography focuses on three themes:

Biodiversity with an emphasis on marine life

Sustainability relating to construction & urban development; energy; food; transport; and waste.

The Guernsey community

Guernsey beach cleans and marine litter