Being underwater, there isn’t much ‘practical’ management of the Reserve that can be carried out. One thing that can be done however is beach cleaning! Marine litter isn’t just unsightly; it can also be very dangerous to both humans and wildlife. For that reason the Marine Ranger carries out beach cleans on the VMR’s shores on a regular basis assisted by volunteers.
All the rubbish collected is recorded and the results are sent to the Marine Conservation Society (MCS) as part of the national Adopt-a-Beach project. This information allows the MCS to identify the main sources of litter across the UK and tackle the problem at the source.
Litter surveys at the VMR have shown the main types of litter to be large plastic pieces, fishing line, rope pieces, plastic drinks bottles and metal drinks cans. Everyone can help to reduce the amount of litter on our shores by disposing of their litter responsibly by recycling it or placing it in the bin when you visit the beach or countryside. SCUBA divers can also get involved by helping to clear harmful marine litter from under the water on dives if it is safe to do so.
The St Abbs and Eyemouth Voluntary Marine Reserve regularly run beach and underwater clean up events and need volunteers to help out with the never ending task of removing harmful marine litter from our shores. If you would like to get involved then visit the events page or contact us.
