Dorset Wildlife Trust launch ‘Save Our Wild Seas’ campaign
They say there could be more plastic in the sea than fish by the year 2050
Campaigners in Dorset have made an urgent plea to protect the 157 marine species found in and around the county’s waters in a bid to ‘save our wild seas’.
Sarah Hodgson from Dorset Wildlife Trust told us: “The marine life in Dorset is in trouble, things like over exploitation and pollution have resulted in a depleted marine environment that is in desperate need of recovery.
“At this rate there could be more plastic in the sea than fish by the year 2050, which is very concerning.”
An estimated twelve million tonnes of discarded plastic are finding their way into oceans every year causing damage to precious marine ecosystems and habitats.
Sarah Hodgson said: “We’re very lucky in Dorset to have a really rich and diverse marine environment but these marine habitats are declining.”
According to Dorset Wildlife Trust, 90% of the UK’s seagrass meadows have been lost to pollution but because marine wildlife is “out of sight” these negative issues “often go unnoticed.”
Additionally, many species are said to mistake plastic for prey, causing seabirds, dolphins, whales, and fish to ingest plastic which ultimately leads to their death.
Plastic’s durability and slow degradation mean this problem isn’t going anywhere soon, especially when up to 53 billion small plastic pellets enter oceans every year.
But now, Dorset Wildlife Trust has launched a campaign to raise funds to protect Dorset's precious marine wildlife from plastic pollution.
Lyme Bay is known for its tidal fronts that create a body of nutrient-rich water that promotes plankton growth which attracts fish, seabirds, harbour porpoise, common dolphin as well as white-beaked dolphin.
Poole Harbour's unique natural environment with its extensive saltmarshes and mudflats provides vital feeding and breeding opportunities for numerous rare and endangered bird species such as avocet, spoonbill, and black-tailed godwit.
Protecting these incredibly precious places and their ecosystem processes is now critical, with a real risk of losing many species entirely.
The charity is appealing for donations to clear up pollution on the shorelines at Chesil and Kimmeridge as well as monitor the effects of pollution on wildlife and influence future marine policies.