Beachwatch goes subaqua!

SCUBA diving Sea Champions found out just how much litter lies beneath the waves.

Dive clubs, divers and snorkellers took part in a litter clean-up… underwater!

Sea Champion Volunteer Coordinator for Wales, Rebecca O'Dowd, organised an underwater clean-up in collaboration with the Swansea Yacht and Sub Aqua Club as part of BSAC's Underwater Litterpick 2012.

Whilst SCUBA divers collected and surveyed litter underwater at Langland and Swansea Bay, volunteers who wanted to remain dry undertook a clean-up and survey of the litter on the beach.

Both the underwater and beach survey results will contribute to the Beachwatch summary report. By finding out where the litter comes from on UK beaches, we can run targeted litter campaigns to influence policy makers and change peoples’ behaviour to try to stop it getting there in the first place. 

"It was great fun! We were surprised that there wasn’t much litter on the sea bed but we did find quite a lot of fishing line and weights. It was a great activity to be involved with and we look forward to supporting MCS in other activities in the future” says Sea Champion Paul Nusinov from Swansea.

The BSAC Underwater Litterpick 2012 was timed to coincide with our annual Beachwatch Big Weekend, and will be running until the end of October so there is still chance to take part.

For more information and to register for the BSAC Underwater Litterpick 2012 go to www.bsac.com/litterpick or call 0500 947202. Don't forget to let you're coordinator know if you are keen to take part!

If you don't fancy getting wet but would like to get involved with Beachwatch, click here.

Sea Champion Paul Nusinov gets ready for the underwater clean-up!