Beachsweeps!

World Oceans Day 2011 Journée mondiale des océans

From life-giving rain, to life-saving medicines; From seafood gathered on the ocean floor, to goods transported on the ocean surface; From the oxygen we breathe, to the biodiversity that holds together the web of life; The oceans play a vital role in our lives and are essential to our survival.

However, marine debris of all types is building up in our oceans, and on shorelines across Canada. Whether or not you live near the ocean, your actions have an effect on the health of the ocean.

Where does the garbage come from?

Marine debris can come from many sources. Litter can travel from your community through pipes, sewers, lakes, rivers and streams, to eventually end up in the ocean. Although some of the garbage comes from marine sources, most comes from land-based sources. Trash can be carried on the wind from our landfills to the ocean, blown off boats, or even left behind on our beaches.

What kinds of debris can be found on our shores?

We are each responsible for ensuring that our litter and trash do not end up in the ocean. The garbage found in the ocean and on our shorelines can be anything we throw away daily - plastic bags, fast-food containers, pop cans, glass bottles, cigarette butts, helium balloons, fishing gear, rope and more. Many of these items are made of recyclable material and should have been recycled rather than littering our coasts and shorelines.

Plastic is the type of garbage most often found on shores. Plastics pose a particular problem because of the same qualities that make them useful - they are lightweight, solid and durable, which allows them also to stick around for a long time in the environment.

Marine garbage threatens precious wildlife!

The effects of marine debris are widespread. Wildlife are hurt or killed when they eat or become entangled in marine debris. Fishing nets and line, rubber bands, plastic bags, ropes, styrofoam, and other plastic items pose the most danger. Many species such as turtles, whales, and dolphins often confuse plastics with food. When ingested, their digestive tracts may become blocked and they may die from starvation.

Marine debris can hurt local economies

The negative economic impacts caused by marine garbage are much more difficult to evaluate. Refuse can damage boats used for recreation and fishing, causing losses of time and costly repairs. For fishers, lost time means lost catch and lost income. The tourism industry, notably eco-tourism, needs clean, healthy shores to attract larger numbers of visitors. Increased marine debris also means increased costs to maintain shorelines for tourists.

We all have a shared responsibility to protect our oceans!

We all share the responsibility for creating this situation, but as much as we are part of the problem, we are equally part of the solution.

What is a Beach Clean-Up?

Conducting a beach clean-up can be fun, simple, and rewarding! This can be as simple as one person picking up litter as they stroll along a coastline or it can involve the coordination of an entire community and even neighbouring communities getting together to do beach clean-ups on a grander scale. And remember, a beach clean-up doesn't have to occur along an ocean coastline - it can also be the clean-up of a lakeshore, a riverbank, or even a community pond. Because waters from these sources flow into the ocean, it is equally important that they, too, be cleaned up!

How can I organize a Beach Clean-Up in my community?

Many community-based organizations that are dedicated to organizing and promoting community action for community environmental clean-ups have been established across Canada.

For more information on marine debris and how you can get involved in beach clean-ups check out some of this web sites:

• Stewardship Canada

Fisheries and Oceans Canada would like to thank the Canadian Wildlife Federation (CWF) for contributing to the information within this section of the site.

Special thanks to Clean Nova Scotia and Environment Canada for sharing information used in the development of this section of the Oceans Canada site.