APHOTOMARINE
An educational resource dedicated mainly to the photography
and diversity of marine life that can be found in coastal waters
and intertidal areas of Great Britain and Ireland by David Fenwick.
Antifouling disposal and pollution incident at Albert Pier, Penzance Harbour, 10.10.17.
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Pollution incident
Illegal antifouling disposal
- Albert Pier Penzance 1
Illegal antifouling disposal
- Albert Pier Penzance 1
Pollution incident
Illegal antifouling disposal
- Albert Pier Penzance 2
Pollution incident
Illegal antifouling disposal
- Albert Pier Penzance 3
Pollution incident
Illegal antifouling disposal
- coating seaweed on which many species depend 1
Pollution incident
Illegal antifouling disposal
- coating seaweed on which many species depend 2
Pollution incident
Illegal antifouling disposal
- on the surface and on the bottom of rock pools 1
Pollution incident
Illegal antifouling disposal
- on bottom of large tidal pool 1
Pollution incident
Illegal antifouling disposal
- contaminating sediments containing worms etc. 1
Pollution incident
Illegal antifouling disposal
- source of incident 1
How not to dispose of antifouling!
The antifouling here was pressure washed off the bottom of a commercial vessel. The antifouling polluted a reef containing at least four protected BAP species. Disposing of antifouling like this can also increases the spread of invasive non-native species.
Pollution like this has a very wide affect on local ecosystems, pollution can mix with water and where concentrated enough, such as in pools can kill both fauna and flora. It can coat algae and kill species dependant on algae; chemicals can be trapped and held within sediments for some time, killing species like native molluscs and polychaete worms. More importantly chemicals can enter the food chain, winkles are regularly collected for consumption at Albert Pier reef.
Images taken by the author at Albert Pier reef, Penzance Harbour, Penzance, Cornwall. 10.10.17. Incident was investigated by the author so it is known who caused the incident, and from where the antifouling came. The author had no option but to report the pollution incident because of the threat to marine life and human health. It is not known how frequent or extensive this type of event is, or if the practice is know to the Port Authority. I know one thing, if I was seen spraying graffiti on the pier wall, I'd be arrested and charged.
The main objective of this website is in furthering environmental awareness and education through the medium of photography. To increase awareness and access to the wildlife of the region and help
people find and identify it. Sometimes the difference between species is obvious but many species can only be determined by observing microscopic characteristics that are specific to any one species.