News Release 23rd July 2015: For immediate release
Fishing for Litter South West showcased at Ocean Plastics Awareness Day attended
by the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall
Fishing For Litter South West took part in an Ocean Plastics Awareness Day attended by The Prince of
Wales and Duchess of Cornwall on Fistral Beach, Newquay on the 22nd July.
Their Royal Highnesses saw first-hand how community action in the county of Cornwall is bringing
together many thousands of people to help combat the menace of marine plastic litter. The Ocean
Plastics Awareness Day gave NGOs, local and national government and industry an opportunity to commit
to exploring and delivering pilot schemes to prevent the flow of plastics to local beaches. Extending these
schemes and some further simple actions could help dramatically reduce the amount of litter across
Cornwall’s beaches, countryside, towns and villages. The event also saw the launch of a Statement of
Intent signed by participating NGOs, local government, academia and businesses to explore, develop and
deliver innovative circular economy pilot projects. A circular economy is one that sees waste as a valuable
resource rather than a burden.
The royal couple were hosted by Surfers Against Sewage, the Marine Conservation Society and Clean
Cornwall, who, collectively enlisted the support of well over 30,000 people to clean up beaches around
the UK in the past year. Fishing For Litter South West joined other organisations, communities and
businesses involved in developing solutions to reduce litter at source and shared their experiences and
ideas with Their Royal Highnesses on the beach.
HRH The Prince of Wales has long taken an interest in the health of the marine environment and the need
to address waste. The Prince of Wales’s International Sustainability Unit has attempted to integrate
conversations on marine plastic waste with those focusing on the circular economy at a global level. The
activities taking place in Cornwall showcased what can be done to address waste locally.
Cornwall has some of the most beautiful beaches and countryside in the UK. However, all too often these
are blighted by litter, much of which is plastic. KIMO’s Fishing for Litter scheme is a great example of a
recovery project that contributes to the circular economy. The Project was supported on the day by one
of its sponsors, the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Fisheries Local Action Group (FLAG) who are responsible
for funding for fishing community projects in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.
Other projects attending included fishing net recycling initiatives and the Finisterre bottles to clothing
initiative. Used as models of best practice, these and other schemes, showcased on Ocean Plastics
Awareness Day, could be rolled out in other parts of the country.
Sarah Crosbie, Fishing For Litter South West Project Coordinator says, “KIMO’s Fishing for Litter Project
is an imaginative yet simple initiative that aims to reduce marine litter by involving one of the key
stakeholders, the fishing industry.
The Project, which has been highlighted by policy makers as a tried and tested tool that can be used to
both remove litter from the sea and raise awareness of the issue, provides commercial fishing boats with
large bags to collect all the marine litter recovered at sea during normal fishing activities. When full, these
bags are deposited securely at participating harbours. The Project covers the cost of waste disposal and is
working to investigate and secure recycling opportunities for the marine litter once brought ashore.
KIMO’s pioneering project has expanded and affiliated projects are currently operating in Scotland, South
West England, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Wales and at Holderness, East Yorkshire.
Fishing For Litter South West was thrilled to have been invited to take part in this important event, to help
highlight the issue of marine plastics and to demonstrate the fishing industry’s support and commitment
to reducing marine litter.”
Hugo Tagholm, Surfers Against Sewage Chief Executive says “Surfers Against Sewage campaigns
tirelessly to protect beaches around the UK from the growing threat of plastic marine litter. Cornwall has
some of the most impressive coastline in the UK, with award winning beaches, unique marine habitats and
many sites of special surfing interest, which are now the focus of the growing community effort to tackle
marine litter. Annually, Surfers Against Sewage not only works with over 15,000 grassroots volunteers to
remove plastic waste from the beach, but is also collaborating with pioneering projects to use waste
plastics as a key resource in producing new products, from skateboards to carpet tiles. We are delighted to
be part of a collective shift towards a circular economy to protect Cornwall’s beaches from plastics, which
should be seen as a valuable resource rather than unwanted waste that society can simply discard.”
Sam Fanshawe, MCS Chief Executive says “For over two decades, Marine Conservation Society volunteers
have recorded a rising tide of rubbish - with plastic litter rising by over 180% since we began surveys in
1994. There is a huge collective effort in Cornwall to reduce litter and keep Cornwall’s world-class beaches
clean. We want to work with businesses, government and community groups to come up with innovative
solutions to this unnecessary, unsightly and harmful waste. As President of the Marine Conservation
Society, HRH The Prince of Wales has shown unstinting support for the volunteer effort to clean up our
seas and beaches and encourage industry sectors to support a circular economy.”
Ends
For further details on the event please contact; Dom Ferris, Ocean Plastics Awareness Day Project
Manager, Surfers Against Sewage on Dom@sas.org.uk or 01872 555 953
For further details on Fishing For Litter please contact; Sarah Crosbie – Fishing For Litter South West
Project Coordinator, sarah@seafoodcornwalltraining.co.uk or 07812 137509
Notes for editors
Fishing For Litter - www.fishingforlitter.org.uk
Fishing For Litter South West has been in operation since 2009 and is currently active in nine
fishing ports in Cornwall and South Devon. The project is based upon Fishing for Litter Scotland
which has been in operation since 2005. Collectively, fishermen taking part in the two projects
have recovered just under 1000 tonnes of marine litter. (July 2015)
The Project was developed and is still overseen by KIMO. Fishing for Litter South West is
coordinated locally in the South West by Sarah Crosbie from Seafood Cornwall Training Ltd. For
further information please contract Sarah on 01736 364324 or
sarah@seafoodcornwalltraining.co.uk
The Project in the South West is currently funded by The Crown Estate, The Duchy of Cornwall,
The Cornish Fish Producers Organisation, The South West Fish Producers Organisation, Cornwall
Fisheries Local Action Group, Natural England and DEFRA.
About KIMO:
KIMO was founded by local municipalities with a shared concern for the state of the
environment. KIMO is designed to give municipalities a political voice at the international level, to
share best practice and to find solutions to marine political problems that affect coastal
communities.
Fishing for Litter is an example of where this has been successful. The scheme, which encourages
fishermen to take ashore litter they catch while fishing by providing the infrastructure required,
has been acknowledged by United Nations Environment Programme as one of the tools to reduce
marine litter. KIMO will continue to seek funding for projects in the future that will benefit the
coastal communities that it represents.
About Seafood Cornwall Training – www.seafoodcornwalltraining.co.uk
Seafood Cornwall Training Ltd administers the Fishing for Litter project in Cornwall and Devon. The
Newlyn based company opened its doors in February 2009 and is dedicated to locally delivering training
for the Cornish Fish Industry. The organisation was set up as a not for profit limited company by industry
representatives to provide an ongoing resource and training centre following the success of the Cornwall
Fisheries Resource Centre Project 2004-2008.
Surfers Against Sewage – www.sas.org.uk
Surfers Against Sewage (SAS) is an environmental charity protecting the UK’s oceans, waves and beaches
for all to enjoy safely and sustainably, via community action, campaigning, volunteering, conservation,
education and scientific research. Surfers Against Sewage projects target coastal environmental issues
including marine litter, sewage pollution, climate change, toxic chemicals, shipping, industry and coastal
development. The charity aims to create measurable improvements in the state of our oceans, waves and
beaches through changes in public behaviour, government policy and industry practices.
Surfers Against Sewage works with approximately 15,000 community volunteers annually to tackle
marine litter and campaign for the protection of the UK’s waves, oceans and beaches. The organisation
has 60 Regional Representatives leading strong and engaged coastal communities around the UK. The
charity recently published the Marine Litter Report mapping out actions and solutions to the marine litter
crisis over the next five years - http://www.sas.org.uk/campaign/the-marine-litter-report-2014-2020vision/. The Marine Litter Report sounds the alarm for the UK’s trashed tidelines, highlighting the
environmental impacts on marine ecosystems and wildlife, and the unaffordable costs to industries
including fisheries and tourism. The report was launched at SAS’s inaugural Protect Our Waves All Party
Parliamentary Group in October 2014 and calls for cohesive and effective anti-marine litter measures
from all sections of society including community action, increased company responsibility and new
government legislation.
Marine Conservation Society - http://www.mcsuk.org
The Marine Conservation Society is the UK charity dedicated to protecting our seas, shores and wildlife.
MCS campaigns for clean seas and beaches, sustainable fisheries, and protection of marine life. MCS
campaigns on many aspects of marine conservation and involves thousands of volunteers every year to
record the amount, types and sources of litter on UK beaches, using the data to influence changes in law,
industry practice and public behaviour to stop litter at source.
Clean Cornwall - http://www.cleancornwall.org.uk
Launched in 2007 Clean Cornwall is a partnership of local businesses, community groups, voluntary and
public sector organisations. Chaired by Lady Mary Holborow DCVO, our partnership is dedicated to
reducing the visible presence and impact of litter, protecting our hugely diverse landscape and promoting
the importance of keeping our county clean and tidy.
Working alongside local service providers we support communities taking action against the problem of litter by
lending groups litter picking equipment, providing insurance for a wide range of volunteers and arranging for the
disposal of the waste collected. However, to better understand the challenge of how we can work together to keep
Cornwall litter free we are also asking ourselves; why are people dropping litter and how are we going to stop the
problem happening again?
Ocean Plastics Awareness Day - Statement of Intent
The Ocean Plastics Awareness Day offers NGOs, academia, local and national government and industry an
opportunity to commit to exploring and delivering pilot circular economy projects that will prevent the
flow of plastics to local beaches and reuse plastic waste removed by local cleansing activities.
Cornwall – A Circular Economy Model For The UK
Cornwall has some of the most beautiful beaches and countryside in the UK. However, all too often they
are blighted by litter. Signatories will support, explore and develop innovative circular economy pilot
projects including:
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Reduction of Single Use Bottles: Increasing the number of accessible water fountains, for
example at beaches, other tourist spots and university campuses, supported by additional
voluntary action by café owners to give a discount to customers bringing their own reusable
drinks containers. Other measures would be to improve plastic bottle recycling schemes in these
locations, including introducing deposit return schemes and provide access to free re-useable
drinks bottles.
Fishing Net Collection & Recycling: The implementation of further innovative fishing net
collection and recycling schemes to produce high quality, fully recyclable products such as carpet
tiles and skateboards.
Plastic Product Innovation: Working with industry to close the loop on plastic marine litter by
developing and delivering innovative collaborations to reuse (marine) plastic waste as part of
useful, durable and recyclable products from clothing to car parts.
Exploring and extending these schemes and some further simple actions could help to dramatically
reduce the amount of litter across Cornwall’s beaches, countryside, towns and villages. Used as models of
best practice, similar schemes could then be rolled out in other parts of the country.
The following organisations have confirmed they will sign the SoI:
Surfers Against Sewage, The Marine Conservation Society, Clean Cornwall, Cornwall Rural Community
Charity, Cornwall’s Fisheries Local Action Group, Plymouth University, Plymouth University Marine
Institute, Newquay Junior Academy, Plymouth University - Sustainability & Surfing Group, Finisterre,
Keep Britain Tidy, Riz Boardshorts, The UK Deposit Alliance, World Animal Protection, Interface,
Cornwall Wildlife Trust, Divers Against Debris, The Cornish Seal Sanctuary and The Zoological Society of
London.
Circular Economy
A circular economy is an alternative to a traditional linear economy (make, use, dispose) in which we
keep resources in use for as long as possible, extract the maximum value from them whilst in use, then
recover and regenerate products and materials at the end of each service life.