Contents
Past events – Dungeness, Bexhill – Marine Conservation Society surveys
Future events – Bexhill, River Rother – Marine Conservation Society survey
Workshops – Bexhill – Clean Seas Please. Join a local Community Action Network event on plastic pollution identification, surveys, sewage related debris (the unflushables).
Single use plastic Government consultation – PLEASE respond to this consultation.
Sea bean recording – All drift seeds and beans found in the south east.
Welcome to the January 2022 news sheet
2022 will see many more events
Surveys, training and workshops
We are an ever increasing group and with a collective effort we can enable change.
Thank you to everyone who receives this news sheet, everyone who joins an event, everyone who passes on why we do this, and anyone who becomes a member.
Lastly, if anyone has any time to spare and wishes to help with jobs to keep the work going, please email me at strandlinerscic@gmail.com.
Thank you to everyone who has replied so far.
Andy Dinsdale
Past Events
Dungeness (Galloways), Marine Conservation Society Beach Clean & Survey
A great turnout at this winter survey event. Wonderful volunteers collecting, sorting, identifying & recording the coastal pollution.
These surveys have been running since 1994 and without this data we would not have as much evidence to lobby for change and reduce our mismanaged waste.
We found and identified 709 pieces of manmade mismanaged waste, lost either by accident or on purpose in the 100m stretch of beach we regularly survey. The GreatBritishBeachClean 2021 report had 385 pieces per 100m on average around the UK.
86% of all collected at Dungeness was plastic. This is also more that the Marine Conservation Society GreatBritishBeachClean 2021 report of 75%.
Bexhill, Marine Conservation Society Beach Clean & Survey
Thank you to everyone who made it to the CleanSeasPlease event at Beaulieu Beach.
Fantastic forensic effort, amazing people.
The beach looked clean but nearly 500 pieces of pollution were removed in the 100m survey stretch. These were identified & recorded for theMarineConservationSociety national survey.
And 91% was plastic! Are we turning the corner with mismanaged plastic waste? It is very forensic but the data gained enables larger organisations to help lobby for change.
We still found tampon applicators, backing strips, wet wipes and cotton bud sticks – these should not go down the toilet – ever!
Future Events
We still need to be aware of COVID guidelines, so events can still change.
Community Action Network – Workshops (see box below)
Add value to our clean up efforts on plastic pollution, mismanaged waste (litter!), sewage related issues (the unflushables!) in Bexhill.
Please email strandlinerscic@gmail.com if interested. This will be a 2 hour indoor session when Covid guidelines allow, followed by one of the outdoor surveys.
Bexhill, Marine Conservation Society Beach Clean & Survey
Beaulieu Beach
10am to 12noon, Sunday 23rd January
This is Clean Seas Please event for the Marine Conservation Society. Venue to be confirmed, Bexhill. Please email strandlinersevents@gmail.com to book a place.
Bexhill, Marine Conservation Society Beach Clean & Survey
Galley Hill
10am to 12noon, Saturday 26th February
This is Clean Seas Please event for the Marine Conservation Society. Venue to be confirmed, Bexhill. Please email strandlinersevents@gmail.com to book a place.
Bexhill, Marine Conservation Society Beach Clean & Survey
De La Warr (The Colonnade)
2pm to 4pm, Saturday 26th March
This is Clean Seas Please event for the Marine Conservation Society. Venue to be confirmed, Bexhill. Please email strandlinersevents@gmail.com to book a place.
Rye, River Rother “Source to Sea” Marine Conservation Society Survey
10am to 2pm, Sunday 6th February
Join us for either 2 or 4 hours (arrive at 10am or 12noon) for this new Marine Conservation Society event. Please email strandlinersevents@gmail.com to book a place.
Rye, River Rother “Source to Sea” Marine Conservation Society Survey
10am to 2pm, Sunday 12th February
Join us for either 2 or 4 hours(arrive at 10am or 12noon) for this new Marine Conservation Society event. Please email strandlinersevents@gmail.com to book a place.
If anyone has already registered/booked for any of these events, there’s no need to register again.
Free Workshops
Free workshopsDo you use the sea or visit the beach often?
Can we tell if the sea is clean?
Do you want to be part of a network protecting our marine environment?
Community Action Network – Workshops
Following our Community Action Team training in 2019, supported by Sea-Changers and United Nations Association – Climate & Oceans we are presenting an updated opportunity to gain skills, take action & raise awareness.
Below is a choice of dates:
Bexhill – Friends Meeting House, Albert Road.
Saturday 22nd January, 10am to 12noon
Friday 25th February, 7pm to 9pm
Saturday 26th March, 10am to 12noon
Please email strandlinerscic@gmail.com to register.
Delivered by Clean Seas Please with Strandliners.
Identification, recording, mismanaged waste (litter!), sewage related issues (the unflushables!). Come along to one of these sessions and then join us on one of our beach surveys (dates in Future events above).We are in the process of planning further events at St. Leonards, Hastings, Pett Level, Winchelsea Beach, Rye Harbour & Camber beaches. If interested please email strandlinerscic@gmail.com.
Thank you to everyone who has replied so far.
Have you ever found a sea bean?
Or do you know of anyone who has on the coast of East & West Sussex and Kent?
A seabean is a plant disseminule (seed etc) that drifts in the ocean using its own buoyancy and can travel thousands of miles, the ones above are Tropical American sea beans that use Transatlantic currents to find their way to our shores – they are real beachcombing treasures that have been recorded for over a thousand years!
We need information including, if possible…
What it is? (does it need identifying?),
Any photo available?
Location, where found (nearest town, beach/riverbank, lower beach, strandline or back of beach)
Date (day or season and year)
Size (“diameter X height” or “width X height X depth”)
Please email strandlinersrecordings@gmail.com with any records, historic included, of these special treasures.
Single-Use Plastic Consultation
If anyone does just one thing this month, please do this!
Let the Government know how you feel!
The Government has asked for responses for proposals on commonly littered single-use plastic items in England.
PLEASE take some time to respond, here is the Government link
Alternatively City to Sea have teamed up with 38 Degrees
and developed this short survey as a response.
The closing date is 12th February.
Please use your own individual experiences.
Strandliners is also responding as an organisation.
Here is a snap shot of the cover from the latest membership magazine The Fulmar, which goes out quarterly to all our members.
It is time for membership renewals, look out for an email shortly.
Thank you to all who are supporting Strandliners through membership.
Strandliners is very grateful for the funding of survey and safety equipment by Rother District Council, The Sussex Community Foundation through the The Rye Fund and Little Cheyne Court Wind Farm for the use by volunteers at our events. We have also produced safety leaflets to ensure the participants can keep safe whilst clearing. And we are also now able to attend conferences and exhibitions with our new marketing materials and display equipment.
Without this support is would have been difficult to keep the vital work continuing, raising awareness, educating and supporting other organisations with the data needed to help lobby for change and a less polluted environment.
Strandliners also received support from Fairlight Parish Council in their operations to help clear the area at Fairlight Cove with the help of the local community and Pett Level Independent Rescue Boat. A presentation is being prepared for all involved!