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GEORGE NEWS AND VIDEO - In 2018, Wilderness resident Mark Dixon was alerted to the volume of old, snagged fishing tackle on the inshore reef system at Gericke's Point in Sedgefield.
As a keen snorkeller, Dixon stepped up and started to arrange clean-up dives. It was during these dives that the evidence of ghost-fishing became apparent.
Ghost fishing is the destructive cycle wherein a fish takes a hook that has snapped and entangled underwater on a reef. Eventually that fish will starve, start to decay, and become bait for the next fish to take the hook. And so the malicious cycle of death continues, unseen by man.
Apart from ghost fishing, there was damage to the reef systems from the fishing gut that was continuously scraping and sawing at the delicate corals. This in turn affected all fish species that called it home. Before long, as Dixon spent more and more time in the ocean, his attention fell on the biggest threat to our marine ecosystem, the plastics.
Plastic in numerous forms finds its way into the ocean via rivers, drains and humans, and as it breaks down into minute particles, being mistaken for food, it becomes a direct threat to all species.
Plastic accumulating in our oceans and on our beaches has become a global crisis, and thousands of sea-birds, turtles, seals and other marine mammals die each year after ingesting plastic, or getting entangled in it.
Pre-production plastic pellets, commonly known as nurdles, are tiny plastic pellets that are universally used in the plastics industry for the manufacture of plastic products.
Huge containers of nurdles are transported around the world by road, rail and ship before they are melted down and made into all the plastic items we use in our day-to-day lives.
The worrying fact is that increasing volumes of these are found along the countries' most pristine beaches.
Mark Dixon in action.
It was the concern over plastic that gave Dixon the idea to start a hiking expedition along the coastline to gauge the extent of the problem. To date, five hikes have been done over five years. Starting in Hermanus, he and his Strandloper team have covered 960km in all weather conditions, going as far as Cape Recife Nature Reserve in Gqeberha.
Coming up on 5 October is the start of the next series of expeditions, to gauge if the density and distribution is worsening. This year's hike will be from Pringle Bay to Struisbaai - about 220km tackled over 11 days.
On the hikes, the team carry out what they call the 'Trashy 20', with three 10m x 2m transects conducted every 5km.
VIDEO - Pringle Bay to Struisbaai: Strandloper Project tackles reefs, ghost fishing, and plastic pollution:
The Trashy 20 transects are comprised of micro plastic transects, bottle transects and nurdle transects.
Apart from the plastics, Dixon says his team are adding observation of marine animals, with initial focus falling on the oystercatcher birds, along with monitoring of the new issues surrounding rabies cases in the Cape fur seals. All data collected in this regard is passed on to the relevant bodies such as CapeNature, SANParks and the state vets.
Follow the Strandloper project via their Facebook page and Instagram.
The hikes are not always simple beach walks. Here the team discusses options when faced with difficult, steep terrain.
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