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ENVIRONMENT minister, Hilary Benn, visited Newlyn on Tuesday and met representatives of the pioneering Fishing For Litter South West project. The Minister spent time with local skippers involved in the scheme to hear their concerns regarding marine litter and its impact on the fishing industry.
Despite many initiatives, marine litter remains one of the most significant environmental problems affecting the marine environment. 20,000 tonnes of litter is dumped into the North Sea alone every year.
The scheme provides fishing boats with large bags to collect marine litter caught in their nets. When full, these bags are deposited safely on the quayside, ready for disposal at a site regulated by the Environment Agency. The project is designed to recover marine litter whilst raising awareness of the detrimental impact such waste can have on the marine environment.
The project was launched in Newlyn earlier this year and is now fully operational in the port. Vessels working out of Looe, Plymouth, Newquay and Brixham will be invited to sign up to the scheme during the Autumn of this year.
The South West project is based upon Fishing for Litter Scotland which has been in operation for over 3 years. Scotland's fishermen, from 16 major ports and from over 110 vessels, have removed over 150 tonnes of litter.
Supported by Cornwall Council and the Cornwall Sea Fisheries Committee and funded by Cornish Fish Producers' Organisation, The Crown Estate, The Marine and Fisheries Agency, Duchy of Cornwall, Environment Agency, Esmée Fairbairn Foundation and Natural England, the project forms part of the Fishing for Litter network run by KIMO, an international organisation of local authorities working to tackle marine pollution and environmental issues.
In support of the project the Environment Minister commented: "As one fisherman I met this morning pointed out to me, fishermen care a great deal about the marine environment and keeping it free of debris. That's why the Fishing for Litter project is so important and I hope more fishermen will get involved."
Despite many initiatives, marine litter remains one of the most significant environmental problems affecting the marine environment. 20,000 tonnes of litter is dumped into the North Sea alone every year.
The scheme provides fishing boats with large bags to collect marine litter caught in their nets. When full, these bags are deposited safely on the quayside, ready for disposal at a site regulated by the Environment Agency. The project is designed to recover marine litter whilst raising awareness of the detrimental impact such waste can have on the marine environment.
The project was launched in Newlyn earlier this year and is now fully operational in the port. Vessels working out of Looe, Plymouth, Newquay and Brixham will be invited to sign up to the scheme during the Autumn of this year.
The South West project is based upon Fishing for Litter Scotland which has been in operation for over 3 years. Scotland's fishermen, from 16 major ports and from over 110 vessels, have removed over 150 tonnes of litter.
Supported by Cornwall Council and the Cornwall Sea Fisheries Committee and funded by Cornish Fish Producers' Organisation, The Crown Estate, The Marine and Fisheries Agency, Duchy of Cornwall, Environment Agency, Esmée Fairbairn Foundation and Natural England, the project forms part of the Fishing for Litter network run by KIMO, an international organisation of local authorities working to tackle marine pollution and environmental issues.
In support of the project the Environment Minister commented: "As one fisherman I met this morning pointed out to me, fishermen care a great deal about the marine environment and keeping it free of debris. That's why the Fishing for Litter project is so important and I hope more fishermen will get involved."
