THE NATURE TRUST OF NEW BRUNSWICK CALLS ATTENTION TO MARINE DEBRIS THROUGH THE 6TH ANNUAL GREAT FUNDY COASTAL CLEANUP

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
NOVEMBER 22, 2021
FREDERICTON, NB

The Nature Trust of New Brunswick has wrapped up its sixth year of combating marine debris in the Bay of Fundy and beyond, after completing the 6th Annual Great Fundy Coastal Cleanup.

The annual province-wide movement to eliminate marine debris was held from Friday, August 20th, 2021, to Sunday, August 22nd, 2021. This year, we asked New Brunswickers to gather their friends and family “bubbles” to clean up a shoreline, beach, park, or their own neighbourhood, coastal or not, because all debris leads back to the ocean. In a powerful show of force, several partnering organizations and more than 225 eager volunteers came together in over 27 sites across New Brunswick to protect and restore our ecosystems for plants, wildlife, and future generations. Together, they made a positive impact on the environment both locally and globally.

The Bay of Fundy is an ecologically significant and culturally integral area of the Maritimes. High tides bring essential minerals and nutrients that are vital to the maintenance of the ecosystem and the many species (some rare and/or endangered) that call the bay and its shorelines home. When marine debris and plastic pollution enter the water and wash up on shorelines, it harms and disturbs the natural cycle of the ecosystem. There are also many harmful impacts on marine life, such as the death of wildlife by entanglement, ingestion, and destruction of crucial habitats.

An estimated two million pieces of trash lie on the seafloor of the Bay of Fundy between Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, most of which is plastic and fishing gear, but the total is likely more. By working to protect these shorelines through initiatives like the Great Fundy Coastal Cleanup, these crucial habitats will remain intact for the species that inhabit them and preserved for generations to come.

This year, volunteers worked together to remove approximately 15,237 pieces of debris from our province’s coastal ecosystems. The most common items found included ~3933 lobster bands, ~1,907 small foam pieces, ~1833 small plastic pieces, ~1,182 meters of rope, and ~930 plastic bottles. In total, volunteers removed over 305 large bags of marine debris from our shorelines.

The Great Fundy Coastal Cleanup supports local, national, and international cleanup initiatives by submitting data volunteers collected to the Huntsman Marine Science Centre, the Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup, and Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup. The collection of data is important as it helps identify trends and sources of debris and will be used to target better waste management and mitigation practices and policies.

Thank you to all the incredible volunteers for their hard work and dedication, the success of the Great Fundy Coastal Cleanup would not be possible without your help. We would also like to thank the partners, sponsors, funders, and supporters of the Great Fundy Coastal Cleanup: Connors Bros. Limited, Cooke Aquaculture Inc., Ocean Bridge, ACAP Saint John, Fundy Community Foundation, Alcool NB Liquor, CPAWS NB, Nature NB, Huntsman Marine Science Centre, Fundy North Fisherman’s Association, Eastern Charlotte Waterways, Fundy Biosphere, Port Saint John, McInnes Cooper, Petitcodiac Watershed Alliance, Village of Blacks Harbour, The Greater Moncton Chinese Cultural Association, Bees Louise! Beeswax Wraps, COJO Diving, and TD Friends of the Environment Foundation.  

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ABOUT THE NATURE TRUST OF NEW BRUNSWICK: 

Established in 1987, the Nature Trust of New Brunswick is a charitable land conservation organization dedicated to preserving the province’s ecologically significant landscapes. To date, the Nature Trust has conserved over 10,000 acres in more than 70 beautiful and diverse nature preserves in New Brunswick. Our mission is to conserve areas in New Brunswick that are ecologically significant, to establish nature preserves that remain protected forever, to steward the preserves through a network of volunteers and supporters, and to engage with the public on the importance of land conservation, New Brunswick’s natural heritage, biodiversity, and species at risk. 

MEDIA CONTACT:

Eugénie Gaujacq
Communications Coordinator
Email: eugenie.gaujacq@ntnb.org
Telephone: (506) 457-2398