#021 Picking Up Rubbish Is Saving Animals with Malin Frick

Malin Frick grew up in a small village in southern Sweden, close to the sea, where cleaning the local beach was a normal part of childhood. Every week, school classes rode their bikes down to the shore, collected rubbish, and brought it back to school to sort and analyse. The aim was not punishment but understanding: where the waste came from, how it ended up in the ocean, and how it could be prevented. That early sense of responsibility shaped Malin’s lifelong commitment to protecting the natural world.Malin is especially passionate about sharks, which she believes are among the animals most in need of protection. She points to the enormous number of sharks killed each year compared to the very small number of human injuries, and she is critical of shark nets, describing them as outdated, expensive, and harmful to non-target and endangered species. She advocates for modern alternatives, better education, and stronger protections, including ending Australia’s export of shark fins.Local advocacy is just as important to her as global campaigns. In areas such as Cabbage Tree Bay, Malin works with others to stop destructive practices like anchoring on seagrass and illegal fishing in protected waters. Despite the frustration of repeated reporting and limited enforcement, she continues to document and share evidence, believing that persistence and visibility are essential for change.More Informationhttps://wildaware.com/https://www.facebook.com/wildaware/https://www.facebook.com/NorthernBeachesCleanUpCrewhttps://www.northernbeachescleanupcrew.com/If you enjoy this podcast, please like and subscribe to our show wherever you get your podcasts.Leave us a comment and share this show with your friends.It really helps us to reach more citizen scientists, like you.Contact the ShowWe are always looking for more guests to tell us about interesting citizen science projects, research and events.You can email us at: [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.