Sir, – Your report "Build-up of plastics on Little Skellig 'getting worse'" (News, July 6th) referred to the adverse effects plastic pollution can have on marine life.
Members of the fishing sector in Ireland have hauled up more than 360 tonnes of marine waste in their nets since 2015. Today, 12 of our busiest fishing ports are taking part in the Bord Iascaigh Mhara-led Fishing for Litter scheme that forms part of the Clean Oceans initiative, launched by Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Michael Creed. By year end we aim to have every Irish-registered fishing trawler involved. Currently we are almost halfway there.
BIM has also collected more than 700 tonnes of old or damaged fishing nets for recycling. Shore and pier clean-ups with members of the aquaculture sector have, to date, collected more than 250 tonnes of marine waste.
The future of Ireland’s seafood sector is contingent on having a pollution-free marine environment. – Yours, etc,
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JIM O’TOOLE,
Chief Executive,
Bord Iascaigh
Mhara,
Dún Laoghaire,
Co Dublin.