We have just completed our fourth remote clean-up campaign of the year, travelling to the Tiwi Islands for our first week-long campaign with the Tiwi Rangers.

Our efforts were focused on Bathurst Island, where eight Sea Shepherd Australia crew members and the Rangers removed more than 3.5 tonnes of marine debris from Ranku and Pawnupi beaches, across 15 kilometres of coastline.

The Tiwi Islands, which are located in the Arafura Sea, about 80 kilometres north of Darwin, are a place of extraordinary natural and cultural significance. The islands have around 800 kilometres of coastline, much of which is inaccessible by road, creating significant challenges for managing the coast and responding to marine debris.

The Tiwi Islands are an important refuge for marine wildlife. Their beaches support internationally significant nesting sites for sea turtles, while the surrounding waters are home to dugongs, dolphins and whales.

The Tiwi people have a strong cultural connection to sea turtles, and the sandy beaches of Bathurst and Melville Islands provide important nesting habitat for Flatback, Olive Ridley, Green and critically endangered Hawksbill turtles. This makes the clean-up so important in providing them with a safe habitat to nest.

The scale of the debris found on these remote beaches is concerning because of what these coastlines represent for marine life. Protecting these beaches from marine debris is about protecting both wildlife and the cultural values of Country.

The clean-up began on Ranku Beach, where the crew found large quantities of plastic pushed above the high tide mark into the vegetation following a recent storm. The hot, humid conditions made the work very challenging. Much of the smaller debris had been buried beneath sand and leaf litter, while single-use bottles and larger pieces of plastic were scattered through the coastal vegetation.

Over four days at Ranku, the team removed 2.84 tonnes of debris from 7.85 kilometres of beach.

On Pawnupi Beach, the type of debris changed. Smaller items, including lighters and toothbrushes, became much more common, providing another insight into the different types of marine debris reaching these remote coastlines. Over two days, the crew removed another 743 kilograms from 7.25 kilometres of beach.

In total, we removed 776 bags of debris weighing 3,583 kilograms. By sorting and counting a 10% sample, we estimate that almost 95,000 individual pieces of rubbish were removed during the campaign.

The success of this campaign was built on the knowledge and experience of the Tiwi Rangers.

The Tiwi Marine Ranger Program began in 2001 and was the first Indigenous Marine Ranger Program established in the Northern Territory. It was developed because Traditional Owners wanted a more active role in managing Sea Country, including protecting important turtle nesting sites, seabird rookeries and shorebird habitat. This was followed by the Tiwi Land Ranger Program, established in 2006. Drawing on thousands of years of Tiwi knowledge and connection to Country, the Rangers undertake a wide range of conservation work, including biological surveys, threatened species monitoring, heritage assessments, fire management, weed management and pest monitoring.

Sea Shepherd Australia is proud to support the important work the Rangers carry out year-round. For us, it is about much more than just removing plastic pollution – it is about learning from the Rangers about their knowledge of Land and Sea Country, and building relationships.

The volunteers were welcomed warmly by the Tiwi Rangers and the Tiwi community, and had the opportunity to learn more about Tiwi culture and history while camping together throughout the week. It was a challenging nine days for the crew, with long days, heat, rain, remote beaches and plenty of hard work.

The Tiwi Islands have been cared for by Tiwi people for thousands of years. Sea Shepherd Australia is proud to play a part in supporting the Rangers who continue that responsibility today, helping to keep these beaches safe for the wildlife that depends on them and to protect the Country that makes the Tiwi Islands so special.

We would like to thank the Tiwi Rangers and the Tiwi people for hosting us on their beautiful islands.