For Fish’s Sake in full swing to prevent marine litter

Following a successful launch of #FFSLDN For Fish’s Sake in London last on 17 May 2017, supported by the BPF, the campaign is in full swing. The launch included a speech by the newly elected Mayor of Southwark, Councillor Charlie Smith and Jane Bickerstaffe, director of the Industry Council for Packaging & the Environment (INCPEN). Attendance included the Greater London Authority, DEFRA, Coca-Cola, Nestle, Thames 21, researchers, artists, NGOs and the Port of London Authority.

The team at Hubbub have begun a number of exciting interventions to prevent litter entering the Thames. For Fishes Sake has received media coverage by ITV and BBC radio. This includes a discussion of ‘tidy littering’ – where people place litter on the floor or on a bench. Tidy littering is particularly problematic as it’s less likely to be understood as littering, but highly likely to end up in the Thames – which is home to 125 species of fish. 

Interventions

Cabinet of curiosities: One of these is a cabinet of curiosities – an assortment of items pulled out of the Thames. With items ranging from a roller skate to a love letter for Kate Tempest, this display is aimed at drawing attention from the public to consider where their litter ends up and the effect it has on marine life.

Grate Art: Another interventions uses brightly coloured stickers to highlight the drains and demonstrate where the litter that passes through them ends up (in our waterways).

Voting bins: Litter ballot bins with provocative questions are being used to entice people into voting with their rubbish. Passers-by are being asked Which side of the river is better? – North v South.

Creating community: Other interventions are aimed at helping people understand the important role the Thames plays in our lives. Through examples, posters invite people to think about how littering affects others in their community.

Fish & Chips: Friendly scuba divers – dressed in flippers, a wetsuit and all – have been handing out fish and chips and speaking to people about litter and the affect it can have on our marine life.

Scuba Diver photo opportunity: Another installation invites people to pop their head through for a photo as a scuba diver, once again reminding people that what they throw on the ground, ends up in the Thames. 

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Read more on Hubbub’s website

What should Londoner’s do?

It’s actually very simple:

• Use the bin, not the gutter, not the river, not the pavement
• If you see some litter and you’re near a bin – pick it up
• If the bin is full, find another one or take your litter home

What next?

Interventions linked to key events: Over the coming months, interventions will take place between Waterloo Bridge and Tower Bridge. Hubbub are working with TFL to promote the campaign at key piers and are linking into events taking place along the river.

Research: Hubbub are engaging with Kings College London to understand behaviour around litter in more detail. This will help inform the campaign and the interventions.

Collaboration: Hubbub are bringing organisations together – from retailers and manufacturers to trade bodies, and organisations and businesses linked to the River Thames.

Expansion: The plan is for the campaign to continue until the autumn, when Hubbub will measure impact and create a plan for rolling out in London and across the UK. This is the first of what we hope will be a series of campaigns to tackle litter in British waterways around the country.

Images courtesy of Hubbub and photographer Lucy Young.