A duck has been found dead after becoming entangled in a plastic safety fence at a construction site in St Paul's Bay.

The bird was found on Friday morning by a woman walking nearby, who noticed part of the fence was in the water with debris around it.

When she looked closer she saw that the duck's neck had become trapped in a hole in the fence and that it lay motionless in the water. 

“My friends and I were very upset when we saw this," she said. "It was very sad to witness that happened because of someone not doing a responsible job."

She said the area was in dire need of a clean up. 

The area in question clearly showing the fence in the sea. Photo: Anonymous

Andrew Schembri, from environmental NGO Żibel, urged the construction industry to be more responsible when working near the sea.

“There is a clear connection between lax onsite checks and waste produced from the shortcomings of a construction process," he said. 

He said that while it was not common to find a bird with its head stuck in a plastic safety fence, his team found many dead birds on the coastline, probably dying from other plastic consumption.

Around one million seabirds die from plastic each year, according to the World Wildlife Fund.

But Schembri proposed a solution to the issue, suggesting  government departments and NGOs collaborate and assist in onsite checks specifically for environmental matters.

"We could help lighten the load. It would be a positive initiative for everyone involved but, most importantly, the public," he said.