In the Wadden Sea National Park, sailors have set an example: Members of Soltwaters e. V., the advocacy group for Wadden Sea riders, have freed the beach on the island of Minsener Oog on the Jade from driven rubbish for the first time. 50 participants in the action mostly left Horumersiel and anchored with 18 boats on the south flank of the island.
Yachts in front of Minsener Oog, garbage collectors: a fender is the only find that has a clear reference to water sports
Dr. Gerald Millat from the National Park Administration and Dr. Dietrich Frank vom Mellumrat, who is in charge of several bird protection islands, instructed the collectors. He warned against touching dead animals or metallic objects. The carcasses could transmit pathogens, and the other finds could be ordnance.
Lots of nets and plastic parts get caught in the old track system on Minsener Oog
Minsener Oog forms a gigantic sand trap and directs the current in the right channels to keep the jade deep. At the same time, the structure is a bird protection island, which otherwise can only be entered in a small area. The sailors were curious to see what the island would look like.
The washed up rubbish is deposited in the flood basin
The predominantly westerly winds drive beach garbage, ship waste and remnants of fishing nets to Minsener Oog. According to scientific studies, 69 percent of the debris washed up in the North Sea is plastic.
Rot-free rubbish gets caught in all sorts of obstacles
Equipped with large carrier bags, the sailors got to work. Some fishing nets, of which only tips were visible, had to be dug out of the sand. The rails of the ancient miniature railway that was once needed for the construction of the groyne proved to be true garbage collectors. The big pack bags were quickly filled with one cubic meter each. They were later removed by the Waterways and Shipping Authority. All individual parts were recorded - 17,815 items came together in just one afternoon. And that alone on the waterfront; The gathering sailors were not allowed into the interior of the island.
A roebuck carcass on the beach: don't touch it!
Remnants of a burial at sea: mourning ribbon made of polyester
The most macabre and curious found item was a mourning ribbon with the imprint "In Liebe und Gratitude". It apparently comes from a burial at sea and shouldn't have been made of polyester. Worse, what blowing ordinary balloons can do. When a seagull gets caught in its lanyard, it lures conspecifics with its screams - five birds perished in a string. Others, on the other hand, starve to death on a full stomach if they have eaten plastic. Sports boaters only had one lost item to be assigned that day: a faded fender lay on the south sandbank. Dr. Millat confirms that the days of washed-up paint cans and brushes are long gone. If so, then they are recognizable from merchant ships. An analysis will now attempt to determine the exact origin of the garbage
Gerd Scheffler, initiator of the campaign, with a bulging big pack
The first chairwoman of Soltwaters, Iris Bornhold, and Soltwaters action coordinator Gerd Scheffler are happy about the success of the action and the great public response, because the sailors were accompanied by television teams and newspaper editors. Bornhold says: "We only protect what we know. People and shipping form a traditional part of the Wadden Sea - that's why it should remain tangible." The common day of action brought nature conservationists and sailors closer together - otherwise, at best, you know each other from mostly controversial meetings. The idea was unanimously accepted to carry out the collection campaign - always outside the breeding season - with school classes who arrive on board of sailing yachts. There are still many beaches to be cleaned, not just on bird protection islands. You can find a TV report about the campaign in the NDR media library
The Schlei is also being cleaned up
The "Garbage fisher" campaign also started on the Schlei at the weekend. At Arnis, the rubbish collection ship, a 70 year old, freshly restored Schleikahn, was christened "Lulu". The ceremony was not very solemn, more like a kind of action art spectacle.
With the Schleikahn and another boat, the initiators want to collect the plastic waste on the banks of the Schlei.
"Die Müllfischer" are a non-profit crowdfunding project run by the local beach manufacturer. Further information can be found here on the garbage fishermen's homepage.