The Forestry Foundation (FF), linked to the Department of Infrastructure and Environment of the state of São Paulo, launched this week the project Payment for Environmental Services (PSA) Sea Without Garbage. The initiative includes artisanal shrimp trawlers who collect garbage from the sea, while carrying out fishing activities, with payments through the food card in the amount of up to R$ 600.

The project includes fishermen who work in the municipalities of Cananeia, Itanhaém and Ubatuba, in the areas of Environmental Protection (APAs) Marine South Coast, Central Coast and North Coast. The goal, according to the entity, is to expand the project to more municipalities on the coast of São Paulo.

According to FF, with the project "it will be possible to create a mechanism to encourage the removal of solid waste from the marine environment, since waste at sea is an old problem". Also according to the entity, it is estimated that 12 million tons of garbage are thrown into the sea per year in the world. Fishermen interested in participating in the initiative must register with the marine APAs by May 5.

Some of the fishermen from the coast of São Paulo already collect the garbage from the nets voluntarily, but some still return to the sea the residues that come during the shrimp trawling. With the project, the goal is to motivate them to bring garbage to the continent and to detin it correctly, making the remuneration for the service. The amount passed on will depend on the volume of garbage collected monthly by the workers.

For garbage collection, Waste Receiving Points Taken from the Sea (PRRMs) will be made available. Among the materials often found in the marine environment are plastic – including market bags and packaging of various products – beverage cans, glass, tires and fabrics.

"In marine fauna, the negative effects of garbage are documented in more than 1,400 species. Daily, more than 660 species are directly impacted by waste, leading to death by starinations and asphyxiation. It is known that 90% of seabirds have plastic fragments in their stomachs and that at least 1,000 sea turtles die each year from plastic ingestion or garbage entanglement," the foundation said.

Source: Canal Rural