Plea to protect sea creatures

MARINE experts have urged people to help protect sea creatures by avoiding littering as lockdown restrictions are eased in the coming months.

After the lifting of national restrictions last summer led to a “staggering increase” in rubbish swamping Britain’s beaches and waterways, the Sea Life Trust has launched the Don’t Make Easter Rubbish campaign to prevent the same happening again.

The Sea Life Trust, the official charity for Sea Life aquariums across the UK, said 15 aquariums will also be using their social media pages to provide tips and beach cleaning activities for people who want to help on March 29.

It is estimated eight million tons of plastic waste enter the world’s oceans each year and that by 2050 the oceans could have more plastic than fish, according to the trust.

Jonny Rudd, curator at the National Sea Life Centre, Birmingham, said it is “devastating” to see the impact of littering on sea creatures which become poisoned or entangled by discarded waste.

He said: “It’s really sad – a lot of people don’t realise they can have a direct impact on wildlife, with such a simple action as, just don’t litter, just take it home with you.

“During the actual lockdown when people were restricted to their homes and really local areas, we saw a real decrease in the amount of litter and pollution in general on beaches and waterways.

“After the restrictions were lifted the first time round, there was a staggering increase in the amount of litter – we’ve seen it all over the media.”