Walk along a Scottish beach after a storm, and you’ll likely spot ropes, bottles, and fishing gear tangled in the sand. These fragments may seem small, but they tell a bigger story, one where citizen science is helping protect our seas.
Beachwatch and The Great British Beach Clean
The Marine Conservation Society (MCS) runs Beachwatch, a programme where volunteers clean beaches while recording every item they collect. This citizen science data feeds into the OSPAR Convention, an international agreement tracking litter across the North-East Atlantic, and helps identify long-term trends in marine litter around the UK.
The biggest annual Beachwatch event is the Great British Beach Clean (GBBC), held every year in September (19th -28th September 2025). Thousands of volunteers take part across the UK, recording what they find using the MCS survey methodology.
All of this information is analysed and published in the ‘State of Our Beaches’ report, which provides a yearly snapshot of the litter on UK shores. This evidence shapes government policy, supports campaigns to cut single-use plastics, and helps measure the impact of changes such as carrier bag charges and product bans.
Get involved by signing up for Beachwatch at www.mcsuk.org/beachwatch
Island Surveys and Local Knowledge
The Scottish Islands Federation (SIF), through its Marine Litter Working Group (SIF-MLWG), partners with the Marine Conservation Society to conduct citizen science surveys using the MCS/OSPAR protocol.
Volunteers and local community groups from numerous Scottish islands carry out surveys during four key periods each year, winter, spring, summer, and autumn, to record and classify marine litter along designated stretches of coastline.
This systematic approach has revealed that litter on Scottish Islands is roughly double that found on mainland beaches, with the majority originating from marine industries such as fishing, aquaculture, and shipping.
Individuals or groups living in island locations who are interested in doing their own citizen science survey, can get involved by contacting SIF at marinelitter@scottish-islands-federation.co.uk
The Big Blue Bag Initiative
The Big Blue Bag is a new citizen science initiative launched in 2025 by marine conservationist and broadcaster Monty Halls, in partnership with the HX Foundation. The project provides large, reusable bags for collecting marine litter from beaches and coastal areas while encouraging participants to record the types and amounts of debris.
By involving schools, local groups, and volunteers of all ages, it aims to raise awareness of marine pollution, promote environmental stewardship, and contribute valuable data for research and policy.
For more information or to get involved, visit www.montyhalls.co.uk or email mailto:marinelitter@scottish-islands-federation.co.uk
Raising Awareness
Every beach clean raises awareness, builds community, and strengthens the case for action. Citizen science doesn’t just clear litter but also creates the evidence needed to push for change locally and internationally.
With every survey that beach cleaners complete, whether through Beachwatch, the GBBC, or new initiatives like the Big Blue Bag, we’re adding our effort to a collective movement that is helping to shape how Scotland tackles marine litter.