Two Oceans Aquarium Foundation and Primedia Cares, together with Cape Talk, make their mark for World Turtle Day with a Trash Bash Beach Cleanup

By TWO OCEANS AQUARIUM FOUNDATION

Save A Fishie representatives pose with the Two Oceans Aquarium Nemo mascot at one of the Lagoon Beach Trash Bash beach cleanups.

START In celebration of World Turtle Day, the Two Oceans Aquarium Foundation and Primedia Cares, together with Cape Talk are supporting a Trash Bash beach cleanup at Lagoon Beach with Save A Fishie on Saturday, 17 May 2025. Stand a chance to speak up for the health of the ocean with renowned CapeTalk presenter Zain Johnson, who will be going live from the beach to the studio during the Trash Bash event.

 “Every piece of plastic we remove from the beach is one less threat to our turtles, our ocean, and ultimately ourselves. Trash Bash isn’t just a cleanup - it’s a statement that we care, we act, and we believe in the power of community to drive change,” said Trish Taylor, Head of Primedia Cares.

Two Oceans Aquarium and Trash Bash staff sort through the pollution collected at the beach to get a better idea of what is found and the impact it has.

Come and join these dedicated organisations in removing litter from one of the most polluted beaches in Table Bay, at the convergence of a river mouth and busy commercial harbour.

Event details:

• Date: Saturday, 17 May 2025

• Time: 09h00 to 11h00

• Location: Lagoon Beach, Milnerton

• What to bring: Weather-appropriate clothing, water (in a reusable bottle), reusable gloves (like the ones you use for gardening or doing dishes), and your enthusiasm.

“May is an important month for ocean conservation awareness with Endangered Species Day on 17 May, Biodiversity Day on 22 May, and World Turtle Day on 23 May. These conservation issues are intricately connected, especially as sea turtles are an indicator species for the status of other marine animals and the health of the ocean. If turtle numbers are in decline, the future of our ocean is also at stake,” said Helen Lockhart, Conservation and Sustainability Manager for the Two Oceans Aquarium.  

The global crisis of ocean biodiversity loss is highlighted by animals like turtles, all seven species of which are endangered. This is bad news for South African marine environments, as five of the seven turtle species are found in South African waters.

“Plastic pollution is one of the biggest threats to marine species like turtles, as they often mistake plastic floating in the ocean for food. Once they have eaten the plastic, they slowly starve as their stomach becomes too full of plastic for them to feel hunger or digest any actual food,” explained Talitha Noble-Trull, Two Oceans Aquarium Turtle Conservation Centre Manager. Turtles can also become ensnared in plastic debris or impacted by pollution on nesting beaches.

An example of the kinds of small bits of plastic Trash Bashers find while combing the beach every month. These small pieces of plastic pose a real threat to the health of our oceans and the marine animals that inhabit it.

Each year, 488 kilotonnes (kt) of plastic pollute the environment.​ Plastic contributes to air pollution through open burning (275 kt), land pollution (145 kt), and aquatic (freshwater and marine) pollution (68 kt).​It is not surprising, then, that almost every species group in the ocean today has encountered plastic pollution, with scientists observing negative effects in almost 90% of assessed species.

Human health is also affected - studies have revealed microplastics in drinking water, food, and even in human breast milk. Plastic is not only a threat to humans living in coastal regions, as most plastic on the South African coast comes from local land-based sources, centred around urban areas. Beaches such as Lagoon Beach are examples where high volumes of pollution end up in the ocean due to runoffs from stormwater outlets and rivers.

Lagoon Beach is flanked by two significant river mouths, the Diep and Salt Rivers, both of which flow through heavily populated urban areas. They carry all types of pollution from their sources (far inland) to their outlets (the sea), scattering plastic, chemicals, and other manmade materials onto our beaches and into the sea.

A rescued hawksbill turtle is admitted to the Turtle Conservation Centre where they will undergo necessary medical treatment and rehabilitation, with the hopes of eventual release back into the ocean.

The Two Oceans Aquarium’s Turtle Conservation Centre witnesses the effects of ocean pollution daily – 71% of the turtles in their care excrete plastic during their first few weeks of arrival. Sadly, some of the turtles that arrive at the Centre cannot be saved, with many of these deaths attributed to plastic clogging the animal’s gut.

In 2024, 205 of the turtles undergoing rehabilitation with the Turtle Conservation Centre had consumed plastic. These turtles excreted a total of 1306 plastic pieces. The most plastic from one turtle was a terrifying 96 pieces. The 2025 stranding season has just started, but between January and March, 11 out of 45 turtles admitted to the Centre (24.4%) have passed a total of 121 pieces of plastic - an ominous signal for the year to come.

To help our turtle ambassadors who have shown resilience, perseverance, and determination during their rehabilitation journeys, a first defence against plastic pollution in our oceans is to make more conscious decisions around our everyday plastic use. Although this seems a daunting task for individuals wanting to do their part, all you need to guide you is to Be Responsible, Speak Out, and Join In.

A participant of a Trash Bash beach cleanup with Table Mountain in the background.

“Beach clean-ups are important ways to Join In, not only to bring a community together to make a difference, but also to create awareness around the dangers of plastic pollution to our marine environments,” said Phumza Jongihlathi, Two Oceans Aquarium Community Relationship Coordinator and Trash Bash organiser.

If there is any hope of recovering our ocean’s incredible biodiversity, it is our responsibility to reverse the damage humans have caused - let’s Be Responsible, Speak Out, and Join In!