Fresh funding worth £180,000 has been awarded for the expansion of a project to remove harmful marine litter and raise awareness of its environmental impact in Scotland.

Marine Fund Scotland is providing the financial support for the Fishing for Litter scheme, part of an international movement to support the removal of marine litter from fishing areas and encourage improvement of waste management practices within the fishing industry.

The scheme, launched in Scotland in 2005, has grown to include 20 harbours, with more than 280 fishing vessels collecting 1,844 tonnes of marine litter.

The latest funding will be used to cover waste collection and disposal, staff costs and education materials.

Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs Mairi Gougeon said: “Marine litter is a global challenge and we are working nationally and internationally to address it. This funding demonstrates our commitment to reducing plastic pollution as part of a suite of wider measures which includes action on single-use plastic products.

“We are clear that climate change and biodiversity loss are the greatest long term challenges we are facing. We have prioritised actions in our Programme for Government to tackle marine litter and we are taking important steps to ensure the amount of litter entering the marine environment is minimised to bring ecological, economic and social benefits.

“As global leaders prepare to gather in Glasgow for COP26, we will seize the opportunity to share learning, demonstrate our shared ambition and drive forward essential change through genuine global partnership.”

Article source: https://www.energylivenews.com/2021/10/15/fresh-180000-funding-to-fish-for-marine-litter-in-scotland/