83 kg of waste removed from Monegasque waters thanks to public-spirited action

A total of 82.7 kg of rubbish was collected © Pexels - Ron Lach

An exemplary effort was made to rid Monegasque waters of dozens of kilos of waste, with the aim of raising awareness among the younger generation.

Organised by the Monegasque Association for the Protection of Nature (AMPN) on Saturday 4 October, around fifty people – 25 divers, 24 land-based volunteers and many children – joined forces to clean up Monaco’s educational maritime zone.

With logistical support from the Club d’Exploration Sous-Marine de Monaco (CESMM), the Société Monegasque d’Assainissement (SMA), Ecotank and Carrefour Monaco, the teams collected almost 83 kilos of rubbish from the shoreline of the Aire Marine Éducative (AME), located between the Rainier III breakwater in Port Hercule and the entrance to Port de Fontvieille.

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Disturbing results

Divers recovered 67.4 kg of debris from the seabed, mostly plastic and glass bottles, as well as around 100 metres of abandoned fishing line. On land, a further 15.3 kg were collected, including over a thousand cigarette butts, despite regular maintenance of the area.

On 23 September last, the AMPN team and Dr. Alexis Pey accompanied the CM2 pupils along the length of the AME on their first visit to the site © AMPN — *On 23 September last, the AMPN team and Dr. Alexis Pey accompanied the CM2 pupils along the length of the AME on their first visit to the site* © AMPN

A strong educational dimension

The initiative is part of an educational project aimed at CM2 (year 6, 5th grade) pupils at the François d’Assise-Nicolas Barré Institution. They will manage the Marine Education Area for the current school year. The aim of the operation was to bring them face to face with the challenges of marine pollution before they begin their annual programme, which focuses on climate change and its impact on biodiversity.

The concrete action shows the importance of involving citizens of all ages in the preservation of the marine environment. The efforts of the AMPN, supported by the Prince’s Government and the Prince Albert II Foundation, demonstrate a lasting commitment to the Mediterranean.