Cork event to address marine waste challenge

By Sean O’Riordan

Delegates from Norway, Greenland, Scotland, and England will attend a special seminar in Cork next week focusing on recycling waste fishing nets and ropes, largely blamed for killing many marine species.

Community-based enterprise body Macroom E, an organisation supported by Cork County Council, is working with partners in the other countries to reduce the amount of marine waste being left in the oceans.

It will host the seminar in County Hall next Tuesday, which will also be attended by fishing industry representatives and advisors.

As an island nation with a marine area 10 times the size of the land area, and a majority of the population living within 50km of the sea, the challenges faced are particularly pertinent to Ireland.

Project co-ordinator Julie Crowley acknowledged that although the challenge is of global proportions, it is particularly relevant to host the event in Cork, as it is one of the largest fishing regions in the country.

There has been lots of interest in the event, as the public appetite to curb the flow of plastic pollution to our oceans continues to grow while finding ways in which to give new life to waste material is fast becoming a commercial advantage,” said Ms Crowley.

“We hope the event will inspire further support for current initiatives, encouraging others to rethink waste plastic as a valuable raw material.”

The potentially detrimental effect of marine plastics through lost and abandoned fishing gear is becoming increasingly an international concern. Highlighted by recent developments at EU level, the potentially transformative EU Plastics Strategy 2018 addresses specific measures on port reception facilities, gear marking, and producer responsibility schemes, which combined have the potential to bring considerable positive change to the management of waste fishing gear.

Guest speakers will include Volvo Ocean Race participants, Clean Coasts members, MEP Deirdre Clune, and representatives from Ghost Fishing International, an organisation which highlights the damage discarded fishing gear can cause. The event is free but registration is essential.

circularocean.eu