Ysgol Dewi Sant March/April

NARC were delighted to be invited to join Ysgol Dewi Sant and 75 pupils as part of environment week. We were able to highlight some of and impacts of marine  litter and the many challenges we are leaving for the future generations.

The 1 hour morning session whizzed by and questions were still being asked as we were leaving! We left the pupils a challenge to collect marine litter and make plastic jellyfish to raise awareness. We were delighted to see their pictures  2 weeks later. 

Awareness raising April

NARC has been busy raising awareness this week as volunteers get ready for the charities 15th year. The National coverage including a 5 minute live slot on Sky News, coverage in the Daily Mail and two interviews on Talk Radio breakfast show and BBC Radio Wales.

April

NARC carried out some investigative dives to look at potential future clean-ups.

Dakotion Wreck – 2 volunteers – 4 metre viz – dive time of 45 mins = 5 lobster pots returned to fisher.  Animals released = 8 brown crab / 1 lobster / 1 bull huss.

Soldier Rock – 2 volunteers – 4 metre viz – dive time of 45 mins =  1 lobster pot.

Collier Wreck – 2 volunteers – 4 metre viz – dive time of 45 mins =  15m x 3m of netting.

Great Castle Head – 2 volunteers – 4 metre viz – dive time of 45 mins =  5 lobster pots.  Animals released = 9 brown crab / 2 lobsters.

Skokholm Island Marine Conservation Zone – May 13

The start of two days diving with 8 volunteers around Skomer Island. headed out to look for pots reported by local fishers.

Garland Stone – 8 volunteers – 4 metre viz – dive time of 30 mins = 1 lobster pot returned to fisher.

Low Point – 5 volunteers – 5 metre viz – dive time of 45 mins =  230 weights / 50 hooks / 250 metres of angling line / 1 rod / 1 reel.

Collier Wreck – 2 volunteers – 4 metre viz – dive time of 45 mins =  1 anchor, chain and rope.

Skomer Island Marine Conversation Zone and Milford Haven Waterway –  May 14

Day 2 with 8 volunteers.

Wooltack Point  – 8 volunteers – 5 metre viz – dive time of 45 mins = 191 weights /  1 rod / 1 spinner / 4 spark plugs / 650 metres of angling line / rope / drink cans. Animals released = 2 Spider Crab / 1 Dog Fish.

The Behar – 5 volunteers – 2 metre viz – dive time of 40 mins =  2 weights / 1 diving mask.

Hobbs Point – May 25

8 volunteers left to locate lobster pots in Ramsey after reports from local fishers.

Hobbs Point – 8 volunteers – 1 metre viz – dive time of 45 mins = 41 weights / 25 hooks / 460m of angling line / 3 rods / 13m of rope / 3 crab lines / 1 Lobster Pot / 7 glass bottles / 3 drinks cans / 1 plastic bottle / 13 plastic bags / 1 shotgun catridge / 25l oil drum / 1 fishing keep net / 1 traffic cone / 150m wire / 2 drain covers / 1 plastic bucket

Mackerel Stage  – June 23

NARC carried out a dive in the Milford Haven Waterway as part of Fish Week.

Mackerel Stage – 4 volunteers – 1 metre viz – dive time of 50 mins =  2 lobster pots / 1 tyre / 3 keep  cages /  3 gage drums / 1 monofilament net / 1 bait bag.  Animals released =  2 Spider crabs.

Stack Rocks – June 24

Stack Rocks – 7 volunteers – 8 metre viz – dive time of 45 mins = 50 metres of monofilament line / 11 lobster pots /  part . Animals released = Lobsters 1 / Brown Crab  8 / Spider Crab 31 Animals deceased = 2 Brown Crab / 3 Spider Crab

Cornwall  – June 29 / 30

Narc were delighted to be invited by Fathoms Free to carry out some joint clean-up dives in Cornwall. These two days were funded by World Animal Protection and saw NARC and Fathoms Free join forces against marine litter for the first time.

We dived a number of wrecks in the area and filled 3 X 1 tonne sacs with mainly fishing nets.

Hobbs Point – July 10

It was fantastic to continue our work with Gelliswick School and invite the class to help out in an underwater clean-up. The school carried out all the onshore support including recording all the marine litter.

The event was also part of Pembrokeshire’ Eco-champions work.

Low Point – Aug 8

Low Point – 5 volunteers – 4 metre viz – dive time of 45 mins = 400 metres of monofilament  / 48 angling weights / 113 hooks 

Juncos Reef – 3 volunteers – 4 metre viz – dive time of 45 mins = 2 lobster pots

Skockholm SE – 3 volunteers – 6 metre viz – dive time of 40 mins = 20m of rope / Net cutting tool

Skomer Island Marine Conversation Zone

– Aug 24

12 volunteers on board

Wooltack Point – 4 volunteers – 4 metre viz – dive time of 45 mins = 300 metres of monofilament line / 16 wieghts / 2 spinners / 2 spark plugs.

Tusker Rock – 5 volunteers – 6 metre viz – dive time of 40 mins = 2 metres of monofilament line / 4 wieghts / 3 hooks / 20m of rope / 3 lobster pots. Animals released =  Brown Crab  2 / 4 assorted small crab / 3 fish

Martin’s Haven West – 2 volunteers – 2 metre viz – dive time of 50 mins = 150 metres of monofilament line / 4 weights / 2 hooks / 6 spinners / 1 lobster pots. Animals released =   2 assorted small crab / 2 Mackerel

Martin’s Haven NE – 5 volunteers – 5 metre viz – dive time of 40 mins =  8 lobster pots / 100m of rope.  Animals released =  Lobster 20 / Spider Crab 25

Ramsey Island  and Milford Haven – Aug 25

Horse Rock – 7 volunteers – 5 metre viz – dive time of 40 mins = 2 lobster pots. Animals released =  Lobster 2 / Brown Crab 1 /  Fish 2

Carreg y Barcud – 5 volunteers – 4 metre viz – dive time of 40 mins = 1m of rope.

Dakotion – 6 volunteers – 3 metre viz – dive time of 40 mins = 2 lobster pots / 10m rope / 1 glass bottle / 1 tyre / 1 pony cylinder.

Collier  – 5 volunteers – 4 metre viz – dive time of 40 mins = 2 lobster pots / netting / 25m rope /  1 anchor / cable wire / copper pipe / door hindge /  rubber glove.

Stackpole Quay Sept 7

12 volunteers on board

Stackpole  – 12 volunteers – 4 metre viz – dive time of 45 mins = 1650 metres of monofilament line / 76 wieghts / 9 spinners / 2 spark plugs / 70 hooks / 1 rod / 1 reel handle / 1.5m x 6cm exhaust pipe / 1 engine part / 1 watch / 1 golf ball / 1 m chain (on folding anchor) / 1 foam handle / 2 litres monofil netting

Skomer Island Marine Conversation Zone and Milford Haven – Sept 8

Low Point  – 7 volunteers – 2 metre viz – dive time of 40 mins = 800 metres of monofilament line / 115 wieghts / 9 spinners / 106 hooks / 1 rod

Dale Fort   – 4 volunteers – 1.5 metre viz – dive time of 50 mins = 3000 metres of monofilament line / 56 weights / 40 hooks

Hobbs Point  Sept 22

Hobbs – 4 volunteers – 5 metre viz – dive time of 40 mins = 150 metres of monofilament line / 24 wieghts / 6 x 25 litre oil drums.

2019 totals

We dived at 29 dive sites with over 2760 hrs of dive time. We recovered almost 8 kilometers of monofilament angling line; almost 1000 lead weights; over 500 hooks; almost 500 metres of rope and over 40 lobster pots.

We released over 100 lobsters, crabs, and entangled fish species.