Our Fish of the North – new exhibition highlights impact of plastic waste on sea-life. A new exhibition at a local heritage centre is highlighting the impact of plastic waste on sea-life.

Our Fish of the North, which will run until the end of June at the Old Low Light Heritage Centre, North Shields features more than 30 different types of fish, each showing the effects of plastic pollution. Entry is £3 (free to Old Low Light members). 

Artist Margaret Livingstone was inspired by the ‘Observer’s Book of Sea Fishes’, a classic children’s book of the 1970s and programmes by the pioneering marine conservationist Jacques Cousteau, to make work in machine stitched textiles, plastic and paper. 

Margaret said: “As a child I watched fascinating films about sea-life by Jacques Cousteau. They were a real TV treat as we had never seen such wonderful films of what it was like under our oceans before. It is so sad to think that we now have this overwhelming problem of everyday plastic waste which is affecting our sea-creatures in so many different ways.” 

She added: “I am hoping that the exhibition will raise awareness of the impact of plastic pollution in our rivers and oceans.”