In November, our managing director and trustee of the Caledonian Environmental Restoration Trust, Tommy Dale, along with the team at the Scottish Coastal Clean Up, helped clean up the shores along Scoughall in East Lothian.
The area has a high population of seabirds, including gannets from the nearby Bass Rock. However, recent storms, including Storm Isha and Jocelyn from this week, have been decimating the local seabird population from a combination of the bad weather and discarded fishing gear washing up on our shores.
More than 640,000 metric tonnes of nets, lines, pots, and traps used in commercial fishing are lost or discarded in the sea every year, the same weight as 55,000 double-decker buses.
It is now more important than ever to get our shores cleaned up. This year, the team at the Scottish Coastal Clean Up will be organising beach cleans throughout Scotland, starting with the Summer Isles in April. If you’re interested in getting involved to help clean up our beautiful Scottish shores, visit www.scottishcoastalcleanup.co.uk for more details.
