The project aims to engage harbours and boats in reducing the amount of litter in the marine environment. Cullivoe received its designated status in late 2007 and since that time has attracted an increasing volume of vessels, which are using its convenience to land there.

The launch has been as a result of a partnership with R.S. Henderson, Shetland Amenity Trust and KIMO UK. Fishing vessels participating in the scheme will be able to land full bags of marine litter, which will be collected by Shetland Amenity Trust’s North Isles Environmental Improvement Squad for safe disposal.

Cullivoe is the 15th harbour to join the scheme, which also operates at Peterhead, Fraserburgh, Lerwick, Scalloway, Eyemouth, Mallaig, Kinlochbervie, Tarbert, Scrabster, Ullapool, Pittenweem, Kirkcudbright and Stornoway.

Rick Nickerson, Project Coordinator stated, “I am delighted to expand the scheme with the addition of Cullivoe. Since achieving its designated status an increasing amount of boats are taking advantage of the facilities there to reduce their travel times to Lerwick and thus their days at sea. It is important that the scheme has a wide as possible geographical coverage to allow boats to participate.”

Scottish Natural Heritage, The Crown Estate, Scottish Executive, Shetland Enterprise, Aberdeenshire Council and the Western Isles Council fund the three-year project. It aims to engage the fishing industry in reducing marine litter by providing participating boats with hard wearing 1m3 bags in which to collect marine litter which accumulates in their nets during normal fishing activity. The bags are then taken ashore and disposed of on land removing the litter from the marine environment and preventing it washing ashore.

The aim of the project was to establish a network of ten harbours with 100 participating boats and to collect 500 tonnes of marine litter over the three-year period. The project now has 15 participating harbours and over 110 vessels participating, with close to 100 tonnes of marine litter collected to date.

The project benefits both the environment and the fishing industry, as both are victims of marine litter. As well as causing problems to wildlife, such as seabirds, through entanglement and ingestion items of marine debris can cause damage to nets and catches. Items such as old paint tins or oil filters can contaminate a catch if they make it into the cod end and larger items can tear nets.

Research done by KIMO showed that in a worst-case scenario it could cost up to £30,000 a year in damaged nets, lost catches and time spent cleaning nets and equipment.

www.fishupdate.com is published by Special Publications. Special Publications also publish FISHupdate magazine, Fish Farmer, the Fish Industry Yearbook, the Scottish Seafood Processors Federation Diary, the Fish Farmer Handbook and a range of wallplanners.

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