Ferry firm gathers budding citizen scientists as Hampshire chips in on global microplastics survey

The team at Wightlink are out scouring beaches across the Isle of Wight in an effort to boost research into microplastics pollution.

Together with Just One Ocean and the University of Portsmouth, the ferry firm is spearheading Hampshire’s efforts in The Big Microplastics Survey, a global citizen science project.

Staff like Louise Lea have already joined Portsmouth’s marine scientists, as well as children from one of its partner schools – Dover Park in Ryde – and got to work investigating an area next to Ryde Pier.

Louise said: “Surveying Island beaches for microplastics is just part of Wightlink’s Green Solent Project.

“This initiative aims to protect the land, air and sea that surrounds our three routes linking the Isle of Wight with the mainland.”

An estimated eight million tonnes of plastic gets into the world’s oceans every year, much of which is broken down by tides and currents into tiny particles. These then spread through ecosystems and food chains with dire consequences.

But all that’s needed to track them is a few household sieves and some buckets.

David Jones from Just One Ocean added: “Plastic pollution poses a significant threat to marine and coastal ecosystems, and human health.

“We’re grateful to Wightlink for carrying out microplastic surveys on Ryde beach to add to our data.

“Anyone is welcome to take part in this citizen science initiative and contribute their results to the international database.”

• To find out more about getting involved, visit justoneocean.org