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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Polystyrene pieces, plastic bottles and containers, a metal float and a metal can stranded in a cave at the top of the Petit Port sea shore on 1 October 2019

There was a significant increase in the number of pieces of polystyrene washing onto the Guernsey sea shore at Petit Port and at Pleinmont during strong south-westerly winds and high tides. The litter deposited on the shore at Petit Port peaked with the highest of the spring tides.

The ribbed plastic bottle in the lower right of the image was produced in Saudi Arabia. The rusty metal can on the left was from France. There were two fishing floats in the cave - one made of metal and one made of polystyrene.

File No. 011019 2220
sealord@me.com
©RLLord

Petit Port Petit Port beach clean litter Polystyrene pieces Styrofoam litter bottle from Saudi Arabia cave litter crevice litter float marine litter marine plastic litter marine plastic pollution ocean plastic pollution plastic bottles plastic pollution seaweed washedup

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