SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS FOR THE END-OF-LIFE FISHING GEAR

Sustainable solutions for the end-of-life fishing gear. New project creating sustainable solutions for the end-of-life fishing gear problem in Pembrokeshire.

A new partnership bringing together a Pembrokeshire marine conservation charity and a Cornish environmentally conscious business launch a project to reduce marine plastic pollution by providing free end of life plastic fishing gear disposal on harbours across Pembrokeshire. These recycling bins will be placed at harbours including Saundersfoot, Tenby, Porthgain and Lower Town in Fishguard. There will also be a bin at the Ocean Lab in Goodwick.

Sea Trust Wales and Waterhaul have partnered together and received funding from FLAG (Fisheries Local Action Group) via EMFF (European Maritime & Fisheries Fund) for a five-month pilot project that started in October called Recycle Môr.

The project will trial a system to collect, sort and recycle end of life plastic gear into high quality products. The pilot will determine whether the system can be sustainable, especially at smaller
harbours such Porthgain and Lower Town Fishguard. A similar system has been in place in the southwest of England for the last few years, but the small size, type of fishing industry and remote
location has been seen as a barrier to a similar system being implemented in Wales. If the pilot project is successful, the project could then be expanded to other harbours across Pembrokeshire,
Wales, or the UK where there are collections of smaller harbours in remote locations.

The innovative partnership between the organisations is the key to success as the net and rope that is collected can be sent to project partners Waterhaul. The rope and nets would last hundreds of years in the environment as they are made to be as strong as possible, these properties are what make them perfect to be recycled into high quality products such as sunglasses, litter pickers, litter picking bag hoops, and knives. Waterhaul intend to launch new Pembrokeshire editions of their sunglasses, made form the material collected through the Recycle Môr scheme, into order to help fund the work making it sustainable in the long run. The project also relies on the expertise of Waterhaul who have been collecting and recycling nets from their local area since 2018.

This project is vital as not only is marine plastic pollution a waste of high-quality resources but each year 8 to 12 million tonnes of plastic enters the oceans, if this waste is given a value, then it creates an even higher incentive to be recovered from the sea and be re-used. Recycling the plastic also creates less greenhouse gasses than using virgin materials. End of life fishing gear also poses a risk by continuing to fish while left in the sea, nets and trap continue to catch animals where they become entangled and die of starvation, this then acts as bait and attracts other animals, and the cycle continues.

The hope is that this project can be replicated in other remote seaside communities across the UK and beyond. To bring the value back to the lost fishing gear, get it collected and then recycled back into high quality items creating a circular economy.

Lloyd Nelmes, Marine Project Officer, at Sea Trust Wales, said:

“As a marine conservation charity, marine plastic is always one of our main priorities. Through previous projects we have identified a need for better waste collection in harbours, especially in
smaller harbours. This needed an innovative and sustainable solution, there is a large expense associated with removing waste but repurposing it into new high-quality items could be the
solution”

Harry Dennis, Founder and CEO, at Waterhaul, said:

“It’s fantastic to be able to expand end-of-life fishing gear recycling to the Pembrokeshire coastline and to be working collaboratively with a range of stakeholders to achieve the common goal of
tackling plastic waste and creating circular economy solutions. We’re excited to be able to demonstrate the transformation from waste material into valued resource, and how this can be
used to drive positive change and impact.”

Cllr Paul Miller, Pembrokeshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for the Economy said:

“Pembrokeshire County Council is the lead body for the Cleddau to Coast Fisheries Local Action Group so we are delighted to support Sea Trust and the Pembrokeshire fishing community. This
project will enable Pembrokeshire fishers to recycle locally produced marine waste, and also allow them to deal with the large amounts of marine litter brought to our coast by the Gulf Stream.”
Richard Joseph, the officer for the Cleddau to Coast Fisheries Local Action Group said, “The FLAG is especially pleased that it has helped Sea Trust secure funding through the European Maritime and Fishing Fund programme. This project will provide benefits for both wildlife and Pembrokeshire’s coastal communities.”

For further information call Lloyd on 01348 874373 / 07729285287 or lloyd@seatrust.org.uk

This project has received funding through the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund, which is funded by the European Union and the Welsh Government.

About the FLAG fund

The Pembrokeshire Fisheries Local Action Group (Cleddau to Coast) was established in 2012 with the aim of supporting the sector and fishing communities within the county. Pembrokeshire County Council acted as lead body for the FLAG, with a FLAG Board made up of industry, public and voluntary sector representation. FLAG is funded through the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund 2014-2020 (EMFF).

About Sea Trust Wales

Sea Trust Wales is a charity based in Pembrokeshire, West Wales. We enable local people to look after their own marine wildlife. The Trust had its genesis in the Sea Empress oil spill disaster in 1996 when it became clear there was a need for local people to be empowered to deal with such situations and
monitor their marine wildlife.

Sea Trust is committed to:

• Studying, raising awareness, and caring for local marine wildlife.
• Inspiring people to care about their environment by opening their eyes to the stunning diversity of wildlife around the Welsh coast
• Engaging people in environmental protection

We have a small team of skilled staff and a large team of volunteers that work to protect and promote our natural marine environment. We run a small public aquarium and conduct research
around the coast, including our world-leading porpoise photo-ID project. Over the past 3 years we have been working on our Ocean Guardians project which aims to reduce plastic pollution in the
marine environment.

About Waterhaul

Waterhaul is a purpose-driven brand, based in Cornwall, that transforms the most harmful form of marine plastic into inspirational consumer products including sunglasses, eyewear, and beach clean equipment. Their mission is to create a value pathway that solves the ‘ghost gear’ problem by turning the ‘waste’ into a valued resource, and to enable a global community to connect with, and protect the ocean.

Waterhaul is now partnering with the Sea Trust to expand its fishing net recovery and recycling efforts beyond South-West England and into the Welsh coastline. They intend to launch new
Pembrokeshire editions of their sunglasses, made from the material collected through the Recycle Môr scheme, into order to help fund the work.