What is Beachwatch?
MCS Adopt-a-Beach and MCS Beachwatch are coastal environmental initiatives organised by the Marine Conservation Society (MCS), involving local individuals, groups and communities in caring for their coastal environment. The MCS Beachwatch project is now in its 18th year with thousands of volunteers taking part every year, making Beachwatch the most influential fight against marine litter in the UK.
The annual MCS Beachwatch Big Weekend event takes place on the 3rd weekend of September every year and the data collected is used for the annual MCS Beachwatch report.
MCS Adopt-a-Beach extends the monitoring to 4 times a year, one of which can be the Beachwatch Big Weekend event.
Beachwatch Big Weekend 2010 is on the 18th and 19th September. Register now to take part.
See what Beachwatch beaches are in your area.
Why is beach cleaning so important?
Some of our best-loved marine wildlife is under threat from the waste and litter in our seas. Hundreds of species of marine wildlife accidentally eat or become tangled up in litter. In addition to harming wildlife, litter on our beaches is hazardous to people and costs millions to clear up.
We all have a part to play in turning the tide on litter.
Download our Beachwatch backing paper to read the MCS calls to action for Government, industry and the public.
To see the survey results from the 2009 Beachwatch event, see our latest Beachwatch Report.
