25th June 2006
A fuel slick has polluted the Menai Strait, the stretch of water between
Anglesey and the North Wales mainland. The 8 mile oil slick stretches
from Bangor to Caernarfon and was first spotted by yachtsmen on the Menai
Strait.
An estimated 2 tonne of oil is believed to have entered the Strait at
Griffith's Crossing near Caernarfon. Workers have blocked the suspect
pipe with sandbags and are continuing to clear up the polluted coastline.
A Marine Ecologist from Bangor University said they hope that the remainder
of the oil will disperse naturally with the tides as it is only a thin
skim of oil.
The Menai Strait is in the heart of the Welsh tourist area and is very
popular with yachting enthusiasts. The towns on the banks of the Strait
depend heavily on the tourist trade. But the Strait is also a sensitive
environmental area and is home to many species of plants and animals including
some rare species.
