The importance of keeping the Isle of Man’s beaches free from litter and pollution for the sake of wildlife has been stressed with the collection of large amounts of rubbish from the Isle of Man’s most sensitive breeding area for ground-nesting seabirds.
Numerous large items of barbed wire, metal fencing and fishing gear, which can harm small seabirds, were removed from a long stretch of beach at Smeale - where ringed plovers have already started to nest, and lay their eggs.
In addition, a further 18 bin bags of smaller items of litter, ranging from bottle tops to fishing tackle and food cartons, were taken from the area by volunteers from beach cleaning group Beach Buddies.
It was the organisation’s final beach clean in the region of The Ayres until after the nesting season is over in the mid summer.
“We are very grateful for the advice from the warden in the area about nesting birds,” said a spokesman for Beach Buddies.
“Our volunteers are all fully aware of the harm that litter does to wildlife, and it was very rewarding to remove so much potentially harmful rubbish and leave a one mile stretch of beach completely free from items which can kill wildlife.”
Oyster catchers will also very shortly be laying their eggs, along a 7 mile stretch of the north west coastline between Jurby and the Point of Ayre, and new notices were posted at the weekend informing dog owners that they must not take their animals onto the beach, unless on a lead, so that nesting birds are not disturbed.
Dog owners who ignore the warnings can face prosecution and hefty fines.
Photo- Beach Buddies volunteers in action yesterday at Smeale beach.
