The Scottish Islands Federation (SIF) is looking for local volunteers to help record a sample of data about the items they find when carrying out a beach clean. This data is important as it helps us track the litter back to source with the objective of finding solutions to reduce or reuse the marine litter.
We know that by having the same beach cleaned and a sample of data recorded 4 times a year we can get a meaningful trend which can be used to influence the design of products and legislation to reduce marine litter.
WHAT DOES IT INVOLVE?
The sample can be a length of beach from 10 meters wide onwards and the width of the beach is from the high tide mark to the edge of the beach. However if large items have come from the beach onto the shore please also include them. If too large to pick up please send photos to us.
The plan is to pick up all the items in the sample stretch and record them on the SIF ADOPT A BEACH – Data Survey form. If you can record the items you find and if not included in the form – please make a note of them under ‘other’. Also please weigh the fishing (including the aquaculture) and non fishing items and record the weights with the length of beach surveyed and the number of volunteers as well as the name of the beach surveyed.
The simplest method to record the results is to take a photo or scan the sheet and send it to marinelitter@scottish-islands-federation.co.uk. We will input the data to the Marine Litter Conservation Beach Surveys with whom SIF partner for data analysis. If we have questions ask us and we will respond.
However if you would like to become a member of the Marine Conservation Society and complete their beach surveys directly please either let us know or contact them at https://www.mcsuk.org/become-a-member/
If you have further questions do please contact us at marinelitter@scottish-islands-federation.co.uk. Thanks for helping to clean the seas.