#seasthefuture Scotlands International Marine conference

Hi folks

I feel honoured to have attended Scotlands very first marine international conference. Since my little adventure , i have gained much more confidence . But still, attending a conference full of passionate dedicated highly qualified scientists , terrified me. As the event progressed , i realy appreciated having my wonderful daughter to lead me by the hand , help me formulate my questions and with some people , stop me losing my temper.
Bethany is doing a phd in evolution involving genes . There is much more involved but climate change was relevant for her so she attended too
Our fantastic host for this event was Collin Moffat, Scottish government minister for marine. #seasthefuture . He was very amusing and kept our attention with wit and treating us like a group of friends.
People from all over the world were in attendence . Organisations from all aspects of marine study were available to answer questions . PhD students presented information on their studies , which were varied and very interesting .
Nicola Sturgeon , First minister, gave the opening speech .She is commited to addressing not only Scotlands pollution problem but also global warming and climate change. Action backed up by commitment by government is key to tackling this global problem. Cotton buds will soon be banned . She is very active in providing non-disposable sanitory products in schools . And the botttle deposit scheme is well on its way.She also spoke of the provision of a million pounds funding for small groups tacklimg plastic pollution
Pride in Scotland was felt after finding out that Scotland leads the way in climate change, global warming and renewable energy. Other countries in the world are looking to us , we must continue and surpass our expectations. It was obvious that our coastlines and sea are very important at a personel level to our first minister . She is determined to continue Scotlands commitment to the world and insisted it is a global problem and we as a planet must all get involved .
It was a good speech and filled us with pride and purpose . Hopefully she will commit to the funding required as well . and support our scientistss fully in their quest to control this runaway climate.
She has also promised to protect more of our own waters with more M.P.A,s Marine protection areas.
At the moment 22% is protected by M. P. A.s Some are vunerable including one of my local bays . Luce Bay South rhins - Portwilliam .


Session One Climate change
Presented by John Baxter
This session started with the announcement that Wallace Brocker Who wrote 1975 climate change , are we on the brink .
Died on tuesday 19th of february 2019.
His was the first paper stating the effects of climate change and how we were a direct cause .
50 years of bickering
50 years of denial
50 years of research time wasted
50 years of research under funded
50 years of large gluttonous companies twarting change
50 years of deluded hope , that it wont happen .
50 years of common people wasting and polluting and using
Here is the crux of the matter . he was right . Apart from one thing . It is happening faster than he had predicted.
What does that actually mean ., WE have lesss time . The planet has less time.

What could we have achieved in those 50 wasted years when we have achieved so much in the last decade . I am only glad that Mr Brocker saw action being taken before he died .
 I have alwayss believed in climate change and our part in it . I listened to the evidence asked questions and understood. Fear and denial have held us back , well we are past that and i am glad .
I don't think we have another 50 years to waste , action must be taken now and a lot faster than our recent efforts.
Everyone has to get involved from the apathy suffering young to the " i will be dead before it kicks of anyway" eldery. Small businessses to multi billion companies . It is "Kicking " of now.

I saw more evidence in this session . Frankly it was frightening how quick it is happening.
We also had a very interesting talk or story as he called it from what i regard a a madman .
Lewis Pugh . Please look him up , He has decided to use his swimming prowess to bring attention to  climate change. He took him self up to the north pole to swim 100 metres at it. He did and he survived . It was 1.5 degrees below freezing but he was proving the seas are warming up as there is no ice . He swam at the North Pole. Nutter but a brilliant one.
The Artic is warming at TWICE  the rate of the rest of the world, causing oceon circulatory changes and disrupting nutrient circulation globally.
Ice is melting , seas are rising , warmer waters are losing oxygen getting 0more acid causing ecosystem collapse which affects our fisheries among many other things.
If this sounds faraway , not your problem . then let me tell you it is happening now. Our " beast from the east " was a direct result of rapid artic warming causing the jet stream to collapse and drag down super cold air over us.

                                         IT WILL HAPPEN AGAIN.

We have beautiful deep sea coral reefs.  One called Mingulay is 150 -300 metres deep . They have no algae living within them as they are too deep for light to photosynthesis with. They rely on nutrients that are being affected by warming seas.
Changes to the Argonite saturation horizon  ASH. are threatening these beautiful corals that provide an excellent ecosystem in deep water. They require A S H for skeletal structure and it is this sstructure that provides habitat for other organisums




The implications for climate change, unitigatum and adaption through the quantification and protection of Scotlands blue carbon resourse.
Willium E N Austin

Phew!!Right i copied this down but honestly i am buggered if i know what it is trying to say.
Blue carbon is carbon stored in sediment mud on seafloor.

630+ million tonnes of carbon are stored in our sea loches If we lose or tip this balance , carbon will be released



I had the pleasure of meeting a once upon a local. A mr Stuart Garret. He is now the managing director of Northlink Ferries . Who sail out of Aberdeen providing a crucial service to the Shetland Isles.. They have 5 ferries operating .  Not only have they been working on their environmental impact but have been assisting by providing stable continuous data on plankton for researchers.
 This is some of what they have achieved so far.
Banned plastic straws,
compostable cups and plates,
only provide hygiene glasses when requested from reception, not in every cabin as standard as it used to be.
Marine friendly antifoul on ferries hull.
propellors polished to improve streamlining and fuel efficiency.
Swapped from heavy to light oils.
 They also work closely with Orca watch and R SPB providing accomadation for them .
If one ferry company can achieve these changes , there is no excuse why others can not follow.
Speaking to Stuart , i asked him it had either cost him money or had he saved or no difference,
Money was not the incentive and they did not expect to save any but have been pleasantly surprised . Changes have saved them some and they are more efficient now as well as lessening their impact.
I got the impression from Stuart that it was never about the money , Rather a love of the beautiful waters and wildlife around Shetland that have been the driving force behind all the actions taken ny Northlink ferries.
                                                   
                                                    K I M O
Fishing for litter
Great organisation . doing fantastic work with fishermen and helping to provide areas for nets to be deposited at harbour and taken away.
The fishermen are gathering plastics rope and rogue nets caught in their own nets and bringing them to port..
They are registered with Kimo who get rid of the nets etc . Unfortunately to landfill just now but hopefully recycling in future.
Our local participating fishing vessel is at the Isle of Whithorn. Kimo are always looking for more to register.

                                       G G G I
Global Ghost Gear Institute

www.ghostgear.org
www,mrag,co,uk

640.000.00 tonnes of fishing gear lost last year
46-70% of macroplastics are in ghost gear.
There is an app for reporting lost gear.
G>P>S tagging has been suggested for nets and creel lines in an attempt to retrieve lost gear before it becomes a problem

                                      PLASTIX
We had the pleasure of listening to a danish business man called Hans who owns Plastix and recycles mainly fishing nets and ropes.
He recycles nets and ropes into pellet form so plastic producers can make products from them.
He explained plastic harmony, this is where different plastics can be recycled together if they are in harmony. Some plastics are and some arent . if they are in the same net or rope , it can take lab studies to find out if they are or arent and if they arent they must be seperated and recycled seperately.
This can be impossible and his whole business takes alot of manual labour. He has had a very difficult journey trying to convince plastic manufacturers , that his pellets are pure and good for converting into products. He is getting there but it has taken huge personel investment.
He would like for only harmonious plastics to be made into the same item and for nets and ropes to be easily disasssembleable.
Supporting people like him is very important .
. How do we support?
Simply by buying products made from his pellets . Pressurising governments to install legislation that makes recycable products easy to dissasemble and only harmonious plastics being used in the same item.
The fishing industry could be the most important part of this and communicate with new rope and net producers to develop a completely recycable product.
This would make the whole process quicker easier , cheaper and causing less of its own impact.

                                                       Sewage Related Debris
This session was infuriating . Mark williams Scottish water
Yes Scottish water is investing in updating its ageing network.
But they insist that blockages by consumers putting wipes and fat down pipes is the main cause of sewage related debris ending up in our seas
In some places that will be the case . But it is not the only cause . Storm drains get overwhelmed and sewage with debris is allowed to flow out to sea.  Tampon applicators wipe micro plastics , sweetie wrappers bottles etc .
They have screen in other parts of their system but would not explain why none on over flow pipe s
Continuously it was the "customers " fault or what the " customer " wanted  Obviously plastic should not go down the toilet. But surely they have a responibility to not allow it to passs through their system unhindered out to sea.
Dc Laura Foster of clean seas is working with scottish water to get the term flushable on wipes to actually mean flushable and contain no plastic. They wont discourage the use of toilet wipes.
Sales of toilet wipes have increased by 10%last year mirrroring the 10% rise on wipes on beaches .

Most toilet wipes are a co operate con . They have portrayed them as a necessary , when they are not. Why? They want you to spend more , increase you necessary items budget This then becomes a stable product just like toilet paper People do not require toilet wipes . Toilet paper used correctly doe a great job flushes and disintegrates .
                                                        Dont be a pawn of a con

And Scottish water assumed it was women who used more wipes and put them down the toilet. a recent study found it was actually young men were the worst for putting wipes dowwn the toilet.
Baby changing and again women apparently also put wipes down toilet, if you have ever changed a nappy , you will know that the wipes end up tucked up in the nappy whicch goes in the bin . Women are also unlikely to do their make up over an open toilet much preferring in front of a mirroe and again wipes go in the bin.
Yet again dont ban them just legislate to have them chemical free and safe to flush and dientigrate.

Welsh water also informed me that the septic sludge is pastuerised and sold to farmers to spread as fertiliser on their fields , which is fine . BUT they dont remove the micro plastics . { which in southern ireland they do]  . Apparently they ddont have to as micro plastics are not classed as a pollutant. NOT CLASSED AS A POLLUTANT. They know it will be , but REFUSE to do anything because they dont have to. So not only are our seas polluted with micro seas but thanks to welsh WATER also our fields.  I was disgusted but again it was stated the "customer" is happy with they way they work .

Are you a customer?
Are you happy with livestock eating plastic and getting in to the food chain?
I am a customer and i am disgusted and i have told the head man that i was digusted . Time for you to tell them to

   The Marine conservation society do an annual beach clean to gather data every september.
None of Galloways beaches are on the survey.
Every organisation , scientist speaker , politician has been amazzed by the publics engagement and action over the last two years . They understand we are shocked and ashamed and want to put right . This has boosted their determination to carry on and find solutions.
 The sea is in every person who lives in scotlands soul. Most of us feel we have a duty to take responsibility and act.
Every beach cleaner lifts plastics but they also go home and change their lifestyles for the better. They practice the 4 R,s and pass on the ethics of lessening their impact to their children .
They see that they can make a difference , just by what they buy . Things are bad , oceons are warming . becoming more acid and losing oxygen . If we change we can change this .
We have always thought of our seas as strong , powerful a destroyer . endless. But the truth is , it is all a delicate balance . The sea has been our buffer for a long time absorbed our mistakes but no longer. It cant take anymore .

                                       WHAT CAN WE DO?
Fly less
4 R,s Refuse reduse reuse recycle
Look at all we buy
look at how we live
look at what and how much we eat
Look at how we travel
Use public transport more or reduce personel travel
Beach clean
litter pick
Tell other people and show by example
Use les electric coal gas oil
If there are no local groups for beach street cleaning , set one up. Encourage your local council to adopt zero waste ethics
Encourage people to change to compostables .
etc etc


I am going to contact groups and after a positive response from organisations hopefully try and set up a national register for beach cleaning groups, Unis researchers and organisations need data and lots of it. The government only works in data . If we had a register unis could specifically ask beach clean groups in certain area for data and it would build up a national picture of plastics etc .
Marine scotland open dat network already gather and supply data but as far as i can see not specifically from beach cleaners .



The final message i got from this conference was one of determination and hope . Of cooperation and teamwork . Of barriers broken down  and a common stance on climate change .
 It was a great first conference . i loved it , learned masses and just about exploded my brain with all the info. I thank all who participated for the help and education they gave me and i wish them all the very best for the future .



 Thankyou if you got this far in reading this. It is important. Keep  taking action everybody