Wildlife volunteers stood down after raw sewage pumped into sea off Margate - Kent Wildlife Trust
- Shoresearch volunteers stood down amidst fears they could contract hepatitis from sewage ridden waters.
- Details of the discharge emerged on both Southern Water’s website and the Surfers Against Sewage app.
- Reports of hundreds of dead fish being washed ashore.
- Dog walkers have spoken of pets falling ill after being walked on the beach.
- People urged to write to their MP to demand action to protect marine life.
Charity volunteers have been forced to cancel a wildlife survey after raw sewage was pumped into the ocean off the coast of Margate.
The Shoresearch survey was due to take place on Friday 18th November 2022 on Fulsam Rock in Margate. However, conservationists at Kent Wildlife Trust had to stand volunteers down after a risk assessment deemed that the sewage discharge would have put the citizen scientists at risk.
The cancellation of the event was disappointing for organiser, Marine Conservationist Sherece Thompson of Kent Wildlife Trust who said: “There is a huge amount of work that goes into survey days and the data that the volunteers collect and collate is extremely important, however we simply could not risk people’s health and were forced to cancel.The sewage discharge resulted in people being advised not to swim in the water with a warning appearing on the ‘Surfers Against Sewage’ app, and I had to consider the health risks if the event had pressed ahead, the worst-case scenario being a volunteer contracting hepatitis if they were to cut themselves whilst in contact with the water. This week I have received reports of dead fish washing up on Minnis Bay and I have been told of dogs falling ill after being walked there. To think our beaches are so polluted that we put our health at risk if we use them is devastating, and it will undoubtedly have consequences for the marine life that have no choice but to live there.”
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Posted On: 22/11/2022