Press Release

ENVIRONMENTAL CLEAN UP

 

 

Stornoway Port Authority has recently completed another dredging operation in the Harbour Anchorages which resulted in the removal of 23 Skips, full of mainly trawl warps, other discarded fishing gear, and other debris weighing in at approximately 50 tonnes. The total cost of this operation which included the hire of a specialist vessel, and landfill disposal charges was close to £20k.

 

In addition, the Port Authority in conjunction with Comhairle nan Eilean Siar is jointly funding an ongoing weekly Litter Clearance Project within the Harbour Area, which has resulted in the collection of almost 250 large bags full of litter since the project commenced in mid February, an average of 12 bags per week.  In the first week of the clean up 172 blue rubber work gloves were collected and some 65 bags of rubbish removed from the Inner harbour area.

 

The Port Authority has also received notice from the Scottish Executive Fisheries Research Services Agency (Marine Laboratory) expressing concern with the regard to extremely high levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons found in sediment samples taken from the Harbour.  The Agency strongly urged the Port Authority to closely look at all  potential sources whereby hydrocarbons were entering the harbour waters, with a view to minimising such pollution.

 

Commenting Chief Executive, John J Maclennan said “It is of huge concern to the Port Authority that future dredging operations at Stornoway will be suspended if the sediment samples show high readings of pollution which may prohibit the issue of a licence to dispose of dredged material at the sea disposal site.  Having spent in excess of £40k in plough dredging the Anchorages in 2003 it is also most disappointing to see another 50 tonnes of trawl warps being recovered this year.  The Authority would remind all users that it is illegal to dump any waste material, including contaminated bilge water, at sea.  It is in everyone’s interests to clean up the harbour environment and we are urgently seeking meetings with all sections of Harbour Users to address these ongoing problems”.

Anchorage Scrap

Not old Warps

Oil Pollution

Warps

Work Gloves

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