On Tuesday, June 13, 30 students participated in a Marine Debris Clean Up Day.

In the morning the students broke into groups and started a debris clean up along various shorelines in Eden, including; Shelly Beach, Boat Slip, Cocora Beach and The Cannery. 

As part of a program run by Tangaroa Blue, students collected and sorted marine debris before entering the results into a data base. This was done to help them understand the types of waste that’s ending up on our shores and in our oceans.

The students filled up 30 large bags of rubbish within two hours.

Special education teacher Naomi Shoobridge said the students were surprised by the amount of waste on the sand dunes and rocks.

After lunch the students emptied sorted the rubbish.  

“This was a tedious job where the rubbish was not only categorized but also counted,” Ms Shooebridge said. “This was quite a task with cigarette butts and fragments of plastic.”

“The day was a huge success and an eye opener as far as littering is concerned.”

Another event held as part of the school’s Ocean Week celebrations was aimed at the keen fishermen.

On a glorious winters day an enthusiastic bunch of students headed to the Eden Wharf for a day of red hot fishing action.

Notable catches of the day went to Ryan for the biggest tailor, Jaxon for the biggest squid, Rory and Harry for the equal biggest trevally. Students with the biggest fish in each category were awarded a prize donated by Merimbula TackleWorld, Compleat Angler Merimbula and Eden Outdoors and Marine. 

Students learnt a variety of skills and techniques on the day whilst taking away many pieces of top advice from gun anglers ‘Bushy’ Langford and ‘Rexy’ Hill.