The Manitoba IBA Program is delighted to announce our first ever beach cleanup, to take place at the Delta Marsh IBA on Wednesday July 11th.

Background

Last week, Manitoba IBA Program Coordinator, Tim Poole, was delighted to be invited to join Wildlife Haven, TransCanada, Manitoba Sustainable Development and Minister for Sustainable Development, Rochelle Squires at the launch of the ‘Clear Your Gear’ Program. This program was established in Florida, with the aim of encouraging anglers to recycle their discarded fishing line (monofilament line). Wildlife Haven’s founder, Judy Robertson took this idea forward, and has with the help and funding from TransCanada and the Province of Manitoba, launched the program here in Manitoba (the official website is here). Many birds, including gulls, pelicans and grebes, are caught up in fishing line each year, whether in the water, on beaches, or even in landfill. We are now able to send this material off to the USA for recycling, and boxes will be provided to local volunteer coordinators, as well as fishing line receptacles, to rid the beaches of Manitoba of this material (on this note, if anyone lives near a beach, and is interested in taking such a role on, please let me know).

The Plan

The community and stewardship aspect of such an endeavour is naturally of interest to the Manitoba IBA Program, given the large number of lakeside IBAs in our province. We have been in discussion with the ‘Clear Your Gear’ partnership regarding our own beach cleanup at an IBA in Manitoba. We have selected Delta Marsh IBA as our 2018 first beach cleanup, because it is close to some larger communities and easily accessible. Our current plan is to set groups up around Twin Lakes Beach and Ambroise Beach, although if there is clear interest, we would love to also include Delta Beach itself. We will meet at the IBA and set groups out, equipping them with everything they need, including receptacles and safety equipment for the safe disposal of any discarded angling material.

If you are interested in joining us for this first beach cleanup, please email Tim at iba@naturemanitoba.ca. There are more details on the poster below.

There are also a number of other beaches and waterfronts in Manitoba’s IBAs, including: Chalet and Patricia Beaches (Netley-Libau IBA); Hollywood, Big Point and Amaranth Beaches (Sandy Bay Marshes IBA); Riverton Sandy Bar; Lundar Beach (Marshy Point IBA); Oak Lake Beach and; the Shoal Lakes. If you have any interest in being a local steward for these areas, please let me know at the above.