TALK TO WESTERN ISLES FISHERMEN'S ASSOCIATION MEETING

ON 12 AUGUST 2006

IMPACTS OF MARINE LITTER

 

Stornoway Harbour is defined by a large outer bay and enclosed Inner Harbour Area. The prevailing wind being south westerly tends to retain, accumulate and concentrate water borne pollutants in the Inner Harbour and Bayhead Estuary.

 

There is a notable improvement in water quality when northerly winds prevail and cause pollutants to drift out of the Harbour.

 

Pollution is defined as meaning "the introduction by man, directly or indirectly of substances or energy into the maritime area which results or is likely to result in:  

•  Hazards to human health

•  Harm to living resources and marine ecosystems

•  Damage to amenities

•  Or interference with other legitimate users of the sea

 

The three main issues are:

•  Dumping of old trawl warps in the harbour

•  Oil Pollution problems and outcomes

•  General litter problems

 

In recent years Stornoway Port Authority has incurred expenditure of the order of £75k in removing old trawl warps from the Harbour Anchorages.

 

This summer alone some 25 skips full of warps weighing approximately 60 tonnes were removed from the Glumaig area. The photographic evidence would suggest that the illegal practice of dumping warps at sea continues.

 

This year's warp clearance cost between £15k - 20k.

 

Apart from being illegal, the practice of dumping trawl warps in recognised anchorage areas constitutes a very serious hazard to other mariners, and from a Port Authority perspective there is nothing worse than to have visiting vessels foul their anchors with trawl warps. There was a recent case where a visiting cruise liner almost grounded on Goat Island as she struggled to clear both anchors of trawl wire.

 

The responsibility for correct disposal of trawl warps as with all other waste lies with fishing vessel owners, who may be challenged by SEPA to demonstrate how and where they disposed of old warps. If a vessel owner cannot show how he disposed of such waste then an offence which may lead to prosecution will have been committed.

 

On the subject of Oil Pollution, the Port Authority has recently been advised by the Environment Protection Group Fisheries Research Services that following two surveys of the sea disposal site for dredge sediments, that the hydrocarbon content of dredge sediments indicated some of the highest concentrations recorded in Scottish Waters.

 

 

 

 

There is a huge implication in this statement - that if we fail to lower the hydrocarbon content in the mud in the Harbour we may not be allowed in future to dispose of dredge sediments at sea.

 

To dredge the Harbour and dispose to landfill is out of the question.

 

Therefore there is a very real threat with regard to the Port Authority being able to continue with future dredging operations at Stornoway. The main beneficiaries of dredging operations are the Inner Harbour Users - principally the fishermen.

 

The Authority has been tasked to investigate all potential sources or pathways whereby hydrocarbons are entering the harbour water column.

 

Contaminated bilge water is an obvious source and automatic bilge pumps, without an interceptor system, have much to answer for.

 

Sadly the practice of disposing of used engine and hydraulic oils into the Harbour continues and I personally found 4 x 5 gallon drums full of oil floating in the Harbour as recently as 2 August 2006.

 

This is not acceptable and apart from being illegal, it must surely be detrimental to the environment but also to the fishing industry.

 

The Port Authority has appealed to all fishermen by means of letters and meetings to use the waste oil disposal facilities provided by the Port. Many responsible users do, but there is a persistent minority who cling to the old practice of throwing it in the Harbour.

 

In terms of general litter the Authority in conjunction with Comhairle nan Eilean Siar has funded a beach clearance programme for 1 year at a cost of £6,000 excluding landfill and disposal charges.

 

In general terms, 12 black bags of litter per week are cleared off the harbour beaches.

 

A very careful analysis of the collected litters shows the main types of litter found on the harbour beaches to be:

 

• Plastics, principally plastic bottles, washing up liquid containers, etc.
• Rubber - Work gloves, boots, tyres.
• Metals - drink cans, oil drums, aerosol containers, redundant oil and fuel filters.
• Paper and cardboard.
• Cloth - oil skins.
• Glass - bottles, light bulbs.
• Munitions - flares.

 

It is clear that a very high percentage of marine litter in Stornoway Harbour is generated form the fishing industry.

 

 

The Port Authority provides:

 

• 5 in number 6 cubic metre enclosed general waste skips - emptied twice weekly or when required.
• 4 in number 1100 litre commercial wheelie bins usually emptied weekly or more frequently if required.
• 6 in number 500 litre commercial wheelie bins emptied weekly or more frequently if required.
• 27000litre waste oil emptied by Sureclean 6 times per annum at a cost of £2,226 each time.
• 1136 litre bunded trailer for waste oil.
• Daily removal of waste landed on piers not placed in waste facilities.
• Daily collection of waste oil landed by fishing vessels and transferred to waste oil tank, usually in 20 litre drums.
• 1 in number 6 cubic metre enclosed general waste skip provided for Fishing for Litter. Port Authority Staff uplift bagged litter as required.