An environmental charity has sounded the alarm about the dumping of sand and debris at the edge of an environmentally sensitive portion of the St George’s coastline.

The Bermuda National Trust said that while it did not wish to accuse anyone of deliberately polluting Coot Pond, which lies between Tobacco Bay and Achilles Bay, to the west of St Catherine’s Point, it had contacted government officials over suspected dumping in the area.

Myles Darrell, the BNT’s head of natural heritage, said the charity was concerned about the environmental impact of material being deposited at what he described as one of the island’s most sensitive coastal ecosystems.

He said: “What has been observed at Coot Pond includes accumulations of sand, seaweed and other debris entering the pond environment.

“Whether it is intentional or incidental to beach management activities, it has the potential to smother habitats, affect water quality and movement, and diminish the ecological value of this important wetland.

“For that reason, the BNT brought the matter to the attention of the appropriate authorities through the proper channels.

“Our expectation is that the relevant government departments investigate what is occurring, determine its cause, assess any environmental impacts and, where necessary, identify appropriate solutions to prevent further harm.”

Mr Darrell said that Coot Pond is an ecologically significant habitat that supports mangroves, seagrass and important wildlife.

He added: “It also forms part of the buffer zone for Bermuda's Unesco World Heritage Site, making its protection important not only for biodiversity but also for the wider cultural landscape.

“We appreciate the efforts made by those who manage Bermuda's beaches under often difficult conditions, particularly in dealing with significant sargassum events.

“However, stewardship of public natural spaces requires that operational practices are continually reviewed to ensure they do not damage neighbouring habitats.”

Dennie O’Connor, the owner of the Tobacco Bay Beach Club, said that there was “absolutely no dumping taking place”.

However, he said the business was challenged in dealing with the large volume of seaweed and debris washing up on Tobacco Bay on a regular basis.

Mr O’Connor said: “To maintain our standing as one of the top 13 beaches in the world, we have a dedicated team that clears this seaweed twice or three times weekly between 4am and 7am.

“We co-ordinate with the Department of Parks, which uses its trucks to remove the collected seaweed around 7am or 8am.

“What is being mistaken for waste is actually the natural sand from Tobacco Bay that separates once the seaweed dries and naturally falls towards Coot Pond. This has been a period of years, not overnight.”

He added that the business was “highly aware and extremely protective” of Coot Pond and is scheduled to meet with the Department of Parks after Cup Match to discuss methods of returning some of the sand back to the beach.

The Government did not respond to questions by press time.