SEAWEED INVASION: ABERDEEN BEACH CLEAN UP ON MANDELA DAY

Mandela Day saw YALI (Young African leaders Initiative) network members - including NEPASIL, volunteers from Freetown and volunteers all the way from Michigan USA - serving to clean up plastic waste washed up by the ocean on Aberdeen Beach.

But as you can see from the picture - the beach has also been invaded by seaweed washed up by the ocean.

The invader is Sagarssum Seaweed, a relatively new problem facing the beautiful beaches that lie along the Atlantic Coast of Sierra Leone and our neighbours.

Since 2011, warming seas linked to climate change enable invasive seaweed from the Caribbean and this is now an annual problem facing our seas and beaches impacting coastal communites’ livelihoods like tourism and fishermen. The seaweed is also potentially harmful to ocean life.

But we hear that plans are afoot to tackle the invasion in a way that brings sustainable benefits. Paul Lamin from the Environmental Protection Agency told us:

“Our partners in the Caribbean have informed us about the seaweed landings currently on their beaches providing us with early warning.

We urge citizens and communities to report seaweed landings enabling Beach Marshalls to rapidly clean-up this sea-borne invader.”

Mandela Day is an annual international day, celebrated each year on July 18, in honor and recognition of the South African activist, a great leader, a mentor, a selfless advocate, a world changer and former President of South Africa - Nelson Mandela’s Birthday. The day was officially declared by the United Nations in November, 2009, with the first UN Mandela Day held in July, 2010.

Mandela Day serves to encourage citizens across the globe to give at least 67 minutes of their day to improving the world’s condition.

Ways to celebrate this day: