Underwater debris at Indian Bay overwhelms clean up team

A 13 man team of divers spearheaded by the St Vincent and the Grenadines Environmental Fund (SVGEF), pooled skills last Wednesday, August 21, 2024, for a post-hurricane clean-up at Indian Bay. A release from the Communications Officer of the SVGEF, said the team was able to retrieve a “significant amount of debris” but found the volume of trash to be overwhelming.

Clean-up team alongside a skip full of marine debris and a truck of plastics and metal for recycling at All Islands Recycling (Photo by Colin Browne SVGEF Communications Officer)

The SVGEF teamed up with free divers, Serenity Dive scuba divers, and Kirk Grant from Barrouallie (Alex Tours) for the much-needed underwater clean up.

While the clean up focused on debris left in the wake of Hurricane Beryl, the team found that much of the trash entangled in the hurricane’s aftermath was typical beach goer litter—bottles, cans, eating utensils, pieces of clothing, and more.

“ This kind of debris not only tarnishes the beauty of our waters but also poses a serious threat to marine life and, eventually, our health,” the release states.

“ As plastics break down into microplastics, they enter the food chain, making it a priority to keep our marine environment clean.”

The Central Water and Sewage Authority Solid Waste Management Unit (CWSA/SWMU), provided a skip for disposal of the collected trash, and some recyclable materials were sorted and sent to All Islands Recycling Inc., further increasing the positive impact of the effort.

However, “despite the determined efforts of our 13 skilled participants, the sheer volume of debris was overwhelming. We managed to extract a significant amount of garbage, but an even larger amount still remains”, SVGEF release added, noting that if last Wednesday’s underwater clean up had a name, it would be, “Mission Impossible”.

“The aftermath of Hurricane Beryl left us with an enormous challenge, and though we did our best, much more work lies ahead. “

The release further noted that “contrary to popular belief, the ocean is not our garbage dump”.

“Every piece of trash we remove is a step towards preserving the health of our marine ecosystems and, by extension, ourselves.

The SVGEF said, however, that it is committed to continuing these efforts with more underwater and beach clean ups planned for the future. “We all have a role to play in protecting our oceans—after all, every second breath we take comes from the ocean.”

The SVGEF therefore is urging users to “…act together to keep our oceans clean and vibrant for generations to come”.