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Check out the new Action Plan!
We are pleased to share the Southeast Marine Debris Action Plan! This document is the result of a collaborative effort between the NOAA Marine Debris Program and partners in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia, and represents a partner-led effort to guide actions in the Southeast on marine debris for the next three years.
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A bundle of lost fishing gear and other debris at Padres Island, Texas (Photo: Mission-Aransas National Estuarine Research Reserve).
Beaches are not just for fun in the sun, but also provide important habitat for wildlife and drive coastal economies. We are celebrating the people that help us collect data, better understand marine debris on shorelines, and keep beaches clean!
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Students from Northwestern High School lead a cleanup at Hyattsville Middle School (Photo: Alice Ferguson Foundation).
Students in Prince George’s County, Maryland are leading the way in marine debris prevention and cleanup in their community. Through the Alice Ferguson Foundation’s Watershed Leadership Program, more than 400 students from seven local high schools have learned about plastic pollution and executed school-based action plans to prevent marine debris.
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When you're at the beach this summer, always dispose of trash properly (Photo: NOAA).
It’s officially summertime! This is a time for family vacations, barbeques, and fun in the sun. Before you plan your summer activities, keep in mind the amount of waste they can generate, including travel shampoos and coolers filled with drinks and snacks. Even items that are properly recycled or placed in the trash can end up as marine debris. Fortunately, we have some easy tips for slimming down waste and preventing marine debris this season.
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Debris removed from Missionary Island (Photo: Partners for Clean Streams).
Although they don’t have salt water, the Great Lakes are vast and can feel like small oceans. Unfortunately, this unique freshwater system is not immune to the issue of marine debris, and can even experience higher concentrations of debris. Dedicated partners are working to address plastics and microplastics, derelict fishing gear, abandoned and derelict vessels, and other debris throughout the region.
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Researchers measure water quality information and collect samples of solid materials in the Mississippi River (Photo: Jeremy L. Conkle).
The growing tide of plastic debris in our ocean is partially due to the steady discharge of plastic by our rivers that drain into the sea. The Mississippi River discharges 593,000 cubic feet of water per second, potentially transporting massive amounts of microplastics to the ocean. Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi is working to understand the amount of microplastics found in this iconic and important river.
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The National Audubon Society is working to remove derelict fishing gear from Maine coastal islands (Photo: National Audubon Society Seabird Restoration Program).
From the nation’s oldest fishing port, to feeding grounds for endangered North Atlantic right whales, to a rapidly expanding aquaculture industry, New England’s productive coastlines provide so much for the people and animals who depend upon them. Our partners in the Northeast are working hard to give a little bit back by stopping marine debris at its source, removing existing debris, and educating local communities.
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Volunteers paddle marine debris back from a Maumee River island cleanup with Wood County Parks (Photo: Partners for Clean Streams).
In northern Ohio, littering, dumping, and even destructive ice jams bring debris to the Maumee River and Lake Erie. Partners for Clean Streams is taking on debris one bottle at a time with the help of volunteers, while helping restore habitat for walleye, white bass, and yellow perch.
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Southern New Jersey crabbers are working together to recover and prevent lost fishing gear (Photo: Stockton University).
With over 400 miles of coastline and over 10,000 miles of tidal shoreline, the Mid-Atlantic region is bountiful in its cultural, social, and environmental diversity. Like many coastal areas around the country, this region is often inundated with debris ranging from derelict fishing gear to consumer debris items, like plastic bags, bottles, and food packaging. Fortunately, there are several great efforts currently underway to address marine debris in the Mid-Atlantic.
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The F/V Miss Lilly returns to the dock loaded with derelict lobster traps in Provincetown, MA (Photo: Center for Coastal Studies).
With the support from the NOAA Marine Debris Program, the Center for Coastal Studies, located in Provincetown, Massachusetts, is mobilizing fishermen and volunteers to identify, document, and properly dispose of derelict fishing gear from Cape Cod Bay and the Cape Cod National Seashore.
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