A large number of volunteers removed 815lbs of rubbish from Candelaria's coastline and sea bed last Saturday, the second operation organised by the Cabildo, with the third "La mar de limpia 2010" commencing next week. The campaign began in on the 17th of July in Guimar and ends on the 4th of September at San Marcos beach.
A group of 150 volunteers helped to dispose of over 70 kilos worth of rubbish from the coast, aided by divers from Quimera Sub who cleared 300 kilos of rubbish from the sea bed. This was indeed a day to celebrate, as several sea turtles were also released back into the wild by the Fundación Neotrópico and the Centro de Recuperación de Fauna Silvestre La Tahonilla.
Various children's workshops were also held, in conjunction with a display by the Town & Country Planning Department's Gestos por el Paisaje to raise public awareness about the need to care for our island.
La mar de limpia aims to make locals and visitors aware of how important protecting and conserving our marine biodiversity is, as well as giving fishermen the incentive to think about sustaining a healthy marine ecosystem.
The Cabildo stresses that the main aim of the campaign is not simply to clean up the beaches, but also to raise awareness, and encourage people to get out of the habit of polluting the island.
