Tuesday evening saw an enlightening talk by Mark Dixon – founder of Strandloper Project – at the Knysna Yacht Club. The Idyllic, on-the-water setting, lended itself wonderfully to his talk on ocean plastic waste, and their devastating effect on the coastal ecosystem. The audience was enthralled.
“I’ve learned so much this evening!” remarks a spectator, keen to get involved in conservation efforts and make a difference.
From its small beginnings in January 2018, the Strandloper Project – a volunteer based NPO – has reached great heights. A growing team of citizen scientists do some outstanding, and much needed work along the coastline of South Africa. They focus on mapping ocean plastic waste, as well as Abandoned, Lost, or Discarded Fishing Gear (ALDFG). In addition to the plastic, they also gather data on the many species endemic to our coastline, like the Black Oystercatcher, (of which they have documented 1101 individuals).
Every year, an adventurous team – comprised of six citizen and/or university-based scientists – take to the coast with hiking shoes and a specially designed app for recording data. They hike approximately 200km, recording and analysing everything they find along the way. The colour of each piece of micro plastic is noticed, every nurdle is counted, and every type of forgotten fishing gear is analysed. Meticulous ‘Trashy20’ surveys are conducted every five kilometres, as well as several other methods of collecting precise data on the ALDFG.
This data has paved the way for research of all types, leading to an increased understanding of the impact of plastic pollution, and ultimately changing municipal regulations. Combined with the education efforts of the Strandloper Project, this organization is well on its way to having a major, positive impact on the coastal ecosystem of South Africa.
This NPO also analyses the effects of fishing on reefs, notably the devastating consequences of ghost-fishing and lead poisoning. Regular clean-up dives get the community involved in caring for our shared ocean, and provide a fantastic starting point for anyone wanting to make a positive difference to the coastal ecosystem. To find out more, check out the Strandloper Website: https://www.strandloperproject.org/
Overall, this months’ successful Talk of the Town left the audience both informed and empowered. The proceeds from the ticket sales go to bringing this talk to a local school, so stay tuned for that update. We look forward to seeing you at the next one!
