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Annual Coastal Cleanup Welcomes Everyone
Portsmouth, N.H. – The New Hampshire Coastal Program (NHCP) at the Department of Environmental Services announced that International Coastal Cleanup Day is Saturday, September 15. A car axle, cell phone and a love letter might sound like a bad country song, but these are just some of the unique items that were found along New Hampshire’s coast on past cleanups. Volunteers will clean up trash and other marine debris at over 20 sites on the Seacoast. The Blue Ocean Society for Marine Conservation will coordinate the cleanup with NHCP funding. “This is a great opportunity to come together as a community to make a positive difference on New Hampshire’s coast,” said Catherine Coletti, NHCP Communications Coordinator. The International Coastal Cleanup Day was begun by the Ocean Conservancy 20 years ago on a beach in Texas, and has grown to a worldwide event. During the 2006 cleanup in New Hampshire, 926 volunteers picked up 7,254 pounds of trash. The most common items collected were cigarettes (50,549), caps and lids (4,317) and food/candy wrappers (4,137). NHCP funding is used by the Blue Ocean Society to coordinate the cleanup, including hiring an intern and purchasing supplies. Marine debris is anything that does not occur in the natural environment, including litter like cigarette butts, cans and wrappers, and fishing equipment like fish hooks and fishing line. Debris can injure and even kill marine life, inhibiting their ability to move, eat and care for their young. Debris also degrades habitats and poses a risk and eyesore to human beachgoers and boaters. For more information on how to participate in the cleanup call (603) 431-0260 or visit: www.blueoceansociety.org/coastalcleanup/index.htm. The New Hampshire Coastal Program (NHCP) is a federally approved coastal program authorized under the Coastal Zone Management Act and is administered by the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services. NHCP strives to maintain a balance between the use and preservation of coastal resources. Through partnerships, funding and science, NHCP works to improve water quality and decision making in 42 coastal watershed communities; supports maritime uses; and restores coastal wetlands.
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