On February 6 and 7, 2025, a coastal cleanup day was carried out along X km in the “Las Charas” Management Unit (MU), within the Península Valdés Natural Protected Area, in the department of Biedma. This initiative seeks to mitigate the impact of plastic waste on marine ecosystems and strengthen the conservation of this key environment.
The activity was coordinated by the Government of the Province of Chubut, through the Secretariat of Environment, the Ministry of Tourism and Natural Protected Areas, and the Secretariat of Fisheries. It also counted with the collaboration of the Forum for the Conservation of the Patagonian Sea and Areas of Influence, represented by the implementing organizations Fundación Vida Silvestre Argentina (FVS) and the Instituto de Conservación de Ballenas (ICB). This joint work is part of the MaRes Project, whose objective is to strengthen the resilience of Argentina’s coastal and marine protected areas, with the financial support of the European Union.
During these two days, 16 people, with the support of equipment provided in the framework of the project, collected a large amount of waste, including mainly crates, buckets, lines, nets, nylon wrappings, cloth and leather gloves, as well as plastic and glass bottles. The quantity and variety of waste is evidence of the strong impact of fishing activity in the area, highlighting the urgency of mitigation strategies and responsible management of this waste.
360° Strategy
In the Patagonian coasts, a large part of the plastic trash found comes from fishing activities, representing a serious threat to marine fauna and coastal and oceanic ecosystems.
To address this problem comprehensively, a strategy is being implemented that combines aerial surveys to diagnose the magnitude and distribution of waste at sea and along the coast, coastal cleanups in areas of high ecological value, improvements in port and vessel infrastructure to prevent waste generation and optimize its management within a circular economy approach, and training workshops to promote best practices to reduce the pollution caused by this activity.
More information on the Proyecto MaRes
