Beach Cleanup at Scusset Beach - A huge success!

-

On October 29, 2011, NECWA teamed up with Captain John Whale Watching and Fishing Tours and the Department of Conservation and Recreation to cleanup Scusset Beach. This cleanup effort was part of COASTSWEEP, the Commonwealth’s annual coastal cleanup program that is organized by the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management and the Urban Harbors Institute of the University of Massachusetts Boston. Last year, over 2,900 COASTSWEEP volunteers collected over 20,000 pounds of trash from beaches, marshes, rivers, ponds, and the seafloor.


At 9 am, eleven volunteers met at Scusset Beach, a beautiful beach located within the Scusset Beach State Reservation on Cape Cod Bay. Everyone was bundled in hats and gloves, as it was mostly cloudy with increasing winds. Equipped with trash bags, gloves and data sheets, volunteers ventured onto the beach in pairs or trios looking for a variety of marine debris. Each piece of trash or debris that was collected was logged into the data sheet and all data will be sent to Coastsweep.


Volunteers found several interesting debris items, including firework containers and many plastic sewer filter discs. The plastic sewer discs were likely carried many miles from New Hampshire, where a sewer plant accidently released thousands of filter discs earlier this year. By recording this information and categorizing all debris, we can learn what types of trash or debris are found most often and we can possibly think of ways to reduce specific types of marine debris.


We were once again delighted to work with John DeCosta from the Department of Conservation and Recreation. John drove a DEC 4 X 4 mini rover up and down the beach, transporting large pieces of debris or heavy bags filled by each volunteer team. We’d like to thank John for his time and for all of his help with this cleanup effort. His great sense of humor keep us all laughing and moving forward.


Thanks also to Ronnie Hunter from Captain John Boats. Ronnie was instrumental in helping set up and tear down our check in area and provided needed supplies for the collection of the debris. We couldn't have done this clean up activity without his support and the support of Captain John Boats.
After combing almost a mile of shoreline, we weighed all of the collected debris. Volunteers managed to cleanup 109 pounds of debris from Scusset Beach. Great job everyone! At the end of the cleanup, volunteers chatted and enjoyed a great lunch of sandwiches, chips and drinks.


On behalf of the New England Coastal Wildlife Alliance, Captain John Boats and the Department of Conservation and Recreation, we’d like to thank everyone for their time and efforts. It’s amazing to see what a small group can accomplish in just a couple of hours and we thank you for taking the time to cleanup one of our local beaches.


We look forward to seeing you all again next fall for another beach cleanup! Thanks again to everyone joined us this past Saturday and who helped clean up Scusset Beach!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Electric Torpedo Ray of New England

-
Image
The Shocking Ray of New England Blog by  Coleman Earner - December 21, 2020 Dead Torpedo Ray in Brewster, MA Torpedo Rays are a genus of rays that are part of the Order  Torpediniformes (electric rays). In reference to local sightings, the most commonly seen torpedo ray in the Cape Cod region is the Atlantic Torpedo ( Torpedo nobiliana ). They are cartilaginous fish (most similar to the structure of sharks and skates) with a flat and rounded disc-like structure. As suggested by their order, torpedo rays are most commonly known for their ability to discharge electricity of up to 220 volts from both pectoral fins (pectoral fins are flat and expanded and fused to the head area) as a self defense mechanism or as a means of capturing prey. Their feeding strategy consists of burying themselves under the sand and waiting for unsuspecting prey to wander by.  Dead Torpedo Ray on a Cape Cod Beach. Torpedo Rays feed mainly on benthic/pelagic fish such as flounders, damselfish, and other small fis
Read more

Ocean sunfish stranding at Linnell Landing - October 9, 2010

-
Image
This afternoon, Chris called about an ocean sunfish that stranded dead at the end of Linnell Landing in Brewster, MA. Krill Carson along with two NECWA interns, Nick Schomburg and Caitlyn Dionne, headed down or met at Linnell Landing in the late afternoon. When they arrived on the shores of Cape Cod Bay, a crowd was gathering around the ocean sunfish carcass that was just off the beach parking lot. This sunfish was almost 6 feet in length and some of the beachgoers indicated that it had come up on the beach around 2 pm that day. At first, it was difficult to look at the deep propellor scars that cut through the dorsal (top) surface of the sunfish and extended into its left flank. But sunset was quickly approaching so this team focused at the task at hand, that was collecting body measurements as well as tissues from this carcass. Nick and Krill conducted a Level A exam on the carcass and Caitlyn took pictures as well as recorded data. Krill was able to determine that this animal was
Read more

Wareham Classrooms have 2 Headstart Diamondback Terrapins

-
Image
Wareham Classrooms have 2 Headstart Diamondback Terrapins Terrapin Crush prior to this turtle's release.  NECWA was able to work with 2 Wareham Teachers this fall and winter as they participated in our Diamondback Terrapin Headstart program. One teacher, Lara Schofield, works at the high school and has previously participated in NECWA's head start program. The other teacher, Tanya Bungert, a middle school teacher, was new to the program this season.  Over the course of the school year, NECWA staff joined teachers and their students on numerous occasions, providing on-site guidance for caring and documenting the hatchlings. On two occasions , NECWA came into the High School to work with and present lessons on terrapins to the afterschool program run by teacher Lara Schofield. Working directly with students and their teachers is so important for these types of community  projects for it allows NECWA to see how successful our head start programs are.   NECWA would like to thank th
Read more