Every September since 2002 the beaches of Herm have been included in the Marine Conservation Society national Beachwatch campaign. Over the third weekend in September volunteers all over the British Isles scour their local beaches for rubbish, collecting it all and recording what is found. The MCS Beachwatch aims are to:
- Increase awareness of beach litter and its impacts
- Identify and monitor quantities and sources of beach litter
- Encourage action to reduce beach litter at source
Residents and visitors to Herm took part in the campaign and cleared five of the island’s beaches of debris. The volunteers recorded the types and quantities of litter found on the beach. The MCS uses the results at a national level to campaign against sources of litter. Over the past 15 years plastic litter has consistently accounted for well over 50% of all litter found during MCS Beachwatch surveys. 2007 was no exception, with plastic items accounting for over 58% of all litter found on UK beaches. Thirty-two percent of litter items were plastic at Shell Beach. Emma Snowden, MCS Litter Projects Coordinator says “Plastics are of particular environmental concern as they may never wholly break down, and can persist in the marine environment for hundreds, if not thousands of years. Sadly, individual people are the biggest culprit, responsible for over a third of the litter found on UK beaches and many plastic litter items have been carelessly discarded and ended up on the beach.”
It was regular holidaymakers to Herm who volunteered to clear Fisherman’s and Bear’s beaches of rubbish. Thanks go to Shirley and John Hancock from Halesowen who scoured Fisherman’s beach for rubbish and to Mr and Mrs Reeves from Rugby who took part in beachwatch on Herm for the sixth year running and cleared Bear’s beach.
April 11th 2008