Environmental group asks if SG needs a law before “people realise beach is not a free seafood buffet”

Singapore—Photos of people collecting sea creatures at Changi Beach were widely shared online last weekend after one netizen posted them on the Singapore Wildlife Sightings Facebook page on June 13.

Ms Daphne Ting called the scene she saw “horrible” and “upsetting”.

Her story was published on mothership.sg the following day.

Ocean Purpose Project, a social enterprise based in Pasir Ris, shared a link to Ms Ting’s story on mothership on its Facebook page on June 14, and commented:

“After all the talks and intertidal walks, does Singapore really need a law in place before our people realise the beach is not a free seafood buffet to be pillaged as a weekend morning activity for the family?”

The environmental group’s aim is to conserve the ocean as well as prevent plastic pollution in it through disruptive and creative projects with mass-scale impact.

Ms Ting wrote in her post, “Correct me if I’m wrong, but we’re not supposed to bring back marine creatures from the beach right? Much less dig up many, many holes searching for these marine creatures and wrecking the entire shore?

“It would have been bad enough to see a few people doing this, but there were many who had come to Changi Beach, “armed with shovels, tongs and pails, happily collecting crabs, fish, shells, sea cucumbers, eels, jellyfish and even sea anemone etc. What do you even do with an anemone!?” she wrote.

Ms Ting added that at that time, restrictions only allowed people to go out in groups of two for essential reasons only.

And even when others present were telling those who were collecting the sea animals not to do so, she wrote that “they just walk away and continue collecting more”.

Ms Ting said she shared her story in the hope that something could be done about it.

“This place is usually very serene and lovely, and this is just upsetting,” she added.

Other netizens agreed with Ms Ting and Ocean Purpose Project.

One netizen suggested that clearing trash from the coast would be much better use of everyone’s time.

/TISG

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