On the 14th July Húsavík participated in the global beach cleanup that was organized by Ric O’Barry’s Dolphin Project, a non-profit organization that works to save whales and dolphins.
Employees from different local whale watching companies, local and international conservation organizations, researchers, and other local institutions joined the event to collect garbage from the coastline in Ærvíkurbjarg. This is the third summer in a row that local and foreigners from all ages gather together to participate in this organized voluntary event.
30 people, including the owners of the farm Laxamýr, came to the event and 600 kg of garbage were collected in less than two hours. Approximately 70% of the trash was fishing gear whereas 30% were dry plastic from fishing activity and other small debris. The waste was transported on a car provided by North Sailing to Íslenska Gámafélagið that supported the project by accepting the waste, free of charge.
Ocean debris kills nearly one million sea creatures every single year.
Some of the nets are being re used to build ring nets so that we can pick up trash and nets that we may find during our regular whale watching tours in the Bay.
We want to be the example, together we make the difference.
This event would not have been possible without the beautiful people from:
- Háskóli Íslands
- Whale Wise
- Arctic Whale
- North Sailing
- Gentle Giants Whale Watching
- Salka Whale Watching
- Húsavík Whale Museum
- Saltvik Riding Tours
