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Fishermen’s group finds illegal dump during cleanup
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Posted on Dec 02 2008
In a cleanup drive on Nov. 22, members of the Saipan Fishermen’s Association collected about 200 lbs of trash and stumbled upon an illegal dumpsite on the east side of the beach near the former Ship Ashore Restaurant.
The cleanup was in collaboration with the Division of Environmental Quality’s monthly brigade activity.
The group said family members of the SFA joined the community effort, gathering trash and other debris during the cleanup.
SFA Beautification chair Frank Tudela thanked members for volunteering their time to help with this effort.
“Without their untiring assistance, the cleanup would have not been made possible,” he said.
After the cleanup, various members from the SFA were on hand for a photo shoot with their family members.
Tudela, who is spearheading the project, said the program intends to increase more participation in future cleanups.
The DEQ has been organizing the monthly cleanup at various beaches by tapping various groups of volunteers and individuals over the past few years. The usual trash collected at beaches are aluminum cans (beer and soda), water bottles, ice tea bottles and some household items.
The DEQ is reminding the public that anyone caught dumping trash or littering would be prosecuted. Violators may be fined $250 or put behind bars.
“The SFA is committed to preserving the environment, and this is one way in which we can protect our ocean. We chose the site, the Garapan Fishing Base Complex to clean up because it is located right next to the dock, where often times trash and debris pile up,” said SFA president Gene Weaver.
