Campaigners help clear fishing waste from beach

AN environmental campaigner and her teenage daughter flew to the Isle of Skye to help clear a beach of industrial fishing waste.

Lynne Lambourne and 15-year-old Katie, from Peppard, were working with Ocean Plastic Pots, which turns industrial fishing waste found in the sea into plant containers.

The pair were accompanied by family friend Marco Barcella, from Henley, and Ally Mitchell, who founded the award-winning company.

They spent a day picking up old fishing nets, ropes and other debris from a remote beach that is only accessible on foot or by boat.

Kate, a pupil at the Oratory School in Woodcote who turned 15 on the day, said: “We got a plane to Inverness and then drove to the Isle of Skye. We spent the night glamping, which was really fun.

“It was sunny on the day of our clean, which made it much easier. It was quite windy, though. The most shocking thing was the scale of the stuff which had been washed up. There were things like massive jerry cans from when you change boat oil and full black oil barrels just dumped in the sea and left to wash up on the beach.

“We were all so exhausted by the end of the day but we managed to collect four skip bags full of waste, which had to be collected by boat.

“Pretty much all the rubbish was related to fishing waste, which was incredibly upsetting and shocking. The area is so beautiful and you don’t expect to see that.

“The next day I was still shocked by how much I had seen but also happy I’d done something to help.

“School very much supported me taking the time off, saying it was a great opportunity. Spending time with mum and her friend, I had so much fun and I’m so proud of her.”

Mr Mitchell, a former commercial deep sea diver from Glasgow, started the charity after seeing the detrimental impact plastic waste has on the sea and marine life.

He taught himself some basic manufacturing techniques and started making plant pots from plastic he picked off the beach as well as discarded ropes and fishing net. The pots can also be recycled again.

He helped Ms Lambourne design a zero-waste plant plot which she took to the Chelsea Garden Show last week, where she created a garden for garden equipment firm brand Gardena for whom she is a sustainability ambassador.

She said: “Ally works tirelessly to clear the beaches. There is such stunning scenery but the pollution is just devastating.”

It is estimated that eight million tons of plastic enters our oceans every year. Ms Lambourne, who founded Warriors on Waste to promote sustainability, said: “You feel you’re going one day at a time but you need to remember that each day you are working towards something bigger, such as raising awareness, gaining volunteers and physically cleaning the waste. Without these small moves no action would happen.

“I wanted my daughter to see what cause I put all of my time and effort into.

“I will be continuing to work with Ally over the coming months, aiming to clear more beaches, highlight the problem and fight for the Government and coastal bodies to bring about more accountability from the fishing industry.”

Mother and daughter hope to return to the Isle of Skye this summer to do more clearing up.

Ms Lambourne will also be holding a River Thames clean-up next month with Henley Royal Regatta chairman Sir Steve Redgrave.