Help to fight plastic waste

CLEARING discarded plastic from fishermen in hard to reach beaches in Sutherland has been made easier – and quicker – thanks to a fishing group.

Durness-based Plastic@Bay has received nearly £12,000 from Highland and Moray Fisheries Local Action Group (FLAG) to purchase an electric quad bike and trailer.

Dr Julien Moreau, of Plastic@Bay, said: "It will help us remove plastic pollution from difficult to reach coastline.

"This is good news for local fisheries because removing plastic from our coastline prevents it going back into the sea and being ingested by fish and entering the food chain.

"And good news too for local wild life, seals, sea birds, whales etc. because removing fishing ropes and nets removes the risk of entanglement."

In a recent beach clean of a north Sutherland beach, around 70 per cent of the rubbish was fishing nets, ropes and components (FNRCs), mostly plastic pegs used for fishing.

Geophysicist Dr Moreau is heading a new green initiative.

Plastic washed ashore on some of the most picturesque beaches in the north of Scotland is to be turned from an environmental scourge into an eco-business.

Campaigners clearing tons of plastic from the Far North's beaches were also recently awarded £65,000 for a unique marine recycling centre – believed to be the first of its type in Scotland.

Thanks to the money from SSE's Sustainable Development Fund the Marine Plastic Recycling Centre will be based in Durness.

The cash has been given to Plastic@Bay, which hopes to recruit a ranger and have the operation up and running before next summer.

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