Beach litter is just as bad in protected areas as outside them

BEACHES situated inside marine protection zones attract the same levels of litter as those outside them, a new conservation study has found.

Researchers said they found “no difference” in the amount of man-made litter present inside and outside the designated areas, claiming protected status does not necessarily help plant and wildlife species.

Experts said a new “whole-system approach” was needed to reduce the overall amount of litter being dumped into the environment.

The study, carried out by the University of Exeter, Natural England and the Marine Conservation Society, and published in the journal Environmental Pollution, analysed 91 marine conservation zones, 256 special areas of conservation and 89 special protection areas created for birds.

It used 25 years of beach cleaning data collected by Marine Conservation Society volunteers. Plastic was the main form of litter found, and “public

‘The zones have no physical boundaries so ... we need to reduce the overall amount of litter in the environment’

littering” the most common identifiable source, while marine protected areas in Kent and Devon and Cornwall had the highest levels of shore-based rubbish.

Regional differences in the items found – such as fishing materials in the West Country and debris from sewage around large rivers – demonstrate the need for “locally appropriate management”, the researchers said.

Dr Sarah Nelms, of the University of Exeter, said: “Our work has found that marine protected areas, which often contain sensitive marine habitats and species, are exposed to litter much in the same way as non-protected sites.

“Marine protected areas have no physical boundaries so, to protect them from any potential impacts of litter, we need to take a whole-system approach and reduce the overall amount of litter being released into the environment.

“We also need a coordinated approach that considers local nuances, tackling sources of litter that cause specific problems in certain areas.”

Lauren Eyles, from the Marine Conservation Society, said: “What this study highlights is how long-term data from Beachwatch can provide vital evidence in helping to understand the problem, and that marine protected areas don’t necessarily protect important habitats and species; an even more powerful message to stop litter at source.”