A kindly man from Southport stopped into the office on Monday to see what we could do to get the word out that our shorelines are being inundated with trash, rolling in from the ocean.

Christmas Cove on the island was his main topic, saying the cove was continually seeing garbage washed ashore. But he said there must be other shorelines in the region that are seeing the same thing.

I told him that I would write about it in my column and that perhaps we could talk to our harbormasters about the problem. Other than that, it is up to boaters and people who frequent the shorelines to be diligent and not throw garbage overboard.

We live in a beautiful region of the country and many people come here to view the ocean, whether from a boat or along the shore. Shorefront property owners should not have to regularly clean up someone else’s garbage. If I owned waterfront property, I would be upset if my view was tainted by trash day after day.

Not only is the garbage unsightly, it could even be dangerous for birds. We have all seen photos of birds tangled in rope, plastic rings, etc.

Littering in the ocean is not always visible to the public, but littering can be punishable by law. According to Maine.gov, “It is unlawful to dispose of litter (including abandoned ice fishing shacks) anywhere in this State, except in areas or receptacles designed for that purpose. Convicted violators face fines up to $500 for the first offense and up to $2,000 for subsequent offenses (Title 17, §2264-A).”

I hope this catches the eyes and minds of those who might be tempted to drop something overboard the next time they are out on or near the water. I liked that old ad, “Give a hoot, don’t pollute.”