A Message from the Regional Coordinator
Greetings colleagues,
I am excited to let you all know that we are fast approaching the conclusion of our inaugural 6-year Washington Marine Debris Action Plan and that plans are underway to bring our marine debris community together, in person, to create a new one. We are tentatively planning to host a workshop in the June/July timeframe and will be sharing details broadly as they get nailed down. In the meantime, Staci McMahon (our new NOAA Pacific Region Marine Debris Specialist) and I will be working with a small steering group of your local Washington peers to identify the issues and topics to be discussed at the workshop. If you are or were previously an active member of the Washington Marine Debris Action Plan and would like to be a part of this steering group or would like more info on what your participation would entail, please send Staci and me an email by February 16. Otherwise, keep an eye out for workshop information and a registration link in the next few months.
I am very grateful to have Staci on board as part of the NOAA Marine Debris Program and specifically supporting us here in the Pacific Northwest. Staci (she/her) is from Seattle and has a Master’s degree in Marine Affairs from the University of Washington, where she studied marine policy, algal communities, and kelp conservation and management in Puget Sound. Before joining the NOAA Marine Debris Program, she most recently worked on invasive European green crab early detection and “Crab Team” community science programs at Washington Sea Grant, and on ocean policy at the Seattle Aquarium.
Staci will be a big part of our action plan community and will be helping us all stay better connected as we build the new plan and continue working together to address the unique marine debris challenges we face here in Washington. I hope you will all join me in wishing Staci a warm welcome, you can contact her with questions at staci.mcmahon@noaa.gov.
Thank you for your continued dedication to the issue of marine debris in Washington.
Best,
Andrew and Staci
Andrew and Staci are passionate about ocean science and mitigating the marine debris problem in Washington (Photo Credit: NOAA).
Partner Updates
“Visual Abstract” showing the results of our analysis, testing the impacts of observer and debris characteristics on debris detection rates (Figure from Burgess et al. 2023).
How we count counts: a new publication!
In 2018-2019, COASST conducted a research project on observer bias in marine debris monitoring data in partnership with the NOAA Marine Debris Program. In 2023, our paper describing the models and findings was accepted in the journal Marine Pollution Bulletin! You can read about all our findings here, and check out some key results in our summary figure below. A big thank you to lead author Hillary Burgess (former-COASST science coordinator and current NOAA MDMAP coordinator) for pushing the publication across the finish line.
Samish Research/Spill Response Vessel Yómech (Chinook) heads out to the San Juans in search of marine debris (Photo Credit: Samish DNR).
Watching Over All the Territory
Since time immemorial, the Samish people have lived and thrived on the lands and waters of the San Juans Islands. Today, the shores of these islands are littered with plastics, Styrofoam, and toxic creosote pilings. Since 2014, the Samish Nation’s Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has partnered with Washington Department of Natural Resources and the Washington Conservation Corps to take landing crafts out into the islands to collect this marine debris from shores that would otherwise be inaccessible to clean up efforts. To date, over 1 million pounds of marine debris, primarily creosote treated wood, have been removed from the San Juan Islands. We look forward with hope and determination as we commit to Samish DNR’s mission statement: to preserve, protect, and restore natural resources important to Samish Tribal Citizens for now and future generations.
For more information, visit our story map.
One of the removals scheduled from Neah Bay, a derelict bridge pontoon (Credit: Makah Indian Tribe).
Makah Indian Tribe – Neah Bay Large Debris Removal
The Makah Tribe is committed to protecting their traditionally used waters and improving aquatic habitat through ongoing removal of large marine debris from Neah Bay. The latest effort in late 2022 and early 2023, resulted in the Tribe clearing hazardous materials from 13 ADV using a $181k grant from EPA, and disposing of 9 of those vessels with $389,000 from the Makah Tribal Council.
Further significant large debris removals are planned for Neah Bay in 2024 and 2025 with additional EPA funds ($116k), $6M from the NOAA MDP via the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law through a partnership between the Makah and the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation, and $3M from the Washington Department of Natural Resources. The work includes removing a concrete bridge pontoon, a derelict pier and barge, sunken vessels and approximately 80 derelict piles.
Beach Cleanups: A Family Commitment
Each year, the Clallam Bay Sekiu Lions and the Washington Clean Coast Alliance sponsor two Western Strait Beach Cleanups, operating out of the Visitor Center in Clallam Bay. A local family, the Moe's, live along the Strait of Juan de Fuca, and led by mother, Kelly Moe, they turn out to clean a stretch of beach in the spring and again in the fall. At the Fall International Coastal Cleanup, they volunteered to participate in sorting, categorizing, and reporting the accumulated marine debris to the Ocean Conservancy, where the information is combined with data from around the world to assist in research and action to prevent the pollution of marine debris in the ocean. They make a global impact with their local actions.
Derelict crab pots cleaned up from Puget Sound (Photo Credit: Ken Townsend).
Derelict Crab Pot Removal
The North Olympic Peninsula Chapter of Puget Sound Anglers (PSA) working through the InnerSpace Exploration Team acquired NOAA MDP funding to do a survey of Sequim Bay and local waters to determine the number of derelict crab pots and remove them.
At the end of the sonar survey almost 1100 contacts were geo-located by latitude, longitude, and depth.
Our PSA chapter committed $2000 as a matching grant to NOAA and has provided hundreds of man hours in hauling, cleaning, and sorting recovered pots. Serviceable pots were sorted for donation, returned to the owner (if identifiable), or taken to a local scrap metal dealer for recycling. More pots will be recovered this year.
For more information contact us at: https://www.psanopc.org/
The Lions virtual presentation is available on their Youtube (Photo Credit: Washington Lions).
Washington Lions Promote Cleanups, Research, and Prevention
Washington Lions, working with the Washington Clean Coast Alliance (aka CoastSavers), conduct annual Beach Cleanups; large coordinated events and individualized local events. They use social media to reach across the world promoting action towards a healthy ocean and less plastic pollution. Lion Nancy Messmer, Sekiu WA, gave the opening presentation for International President Patti Hill’s Global Conversation for Peace in the fall. View this video on YouTube, that starts with a video produced in Washington and concludes with Messmer inviting Lions to organize Cleanups in their countries.
Additionally, Dr. Messmer gave a presentation at the Lions International Convention in Boston this summer, promoting cleanups (beaches, shorelines, waterways), and plastic pollution activism. Lions are 1.4 million members in 200 countries serving their communities; environmental service is a major focus.
Before and after a cleanup in the coastal wilderness of Olympic National Park. 16 people hiked 164 miles to remove 1,722 pounds of marine debris (Photo Credit: Washington CoastSavers).
Washington CoastSavers, working together to help keep our beaches clean of debris
Washington CoastSavers, its regional partners and dedicated volunteers, with support from NOAA Marine Debris Program, hosted three major shoreline cleanups and contributed to an innovative marine debris recycling effort in 2023. Working together for cleaner beaches, 1,923 volunteers removed over 133,249 lbs of marine and fireworks debris from Pacific Coast and Strait of Juan de Fuca beaches during our annual cleanup events. In addition to these efforts, we worked with Net Your Problem and Ocean Legacy Foundation to recycle 2,583 lbs of cleanup debris and 5,400 of aquaculture debris. The year was also spent engaging with Olympic National Park to work through their compliance process with the goal of removing remote caches and large marine debris over the coming years.
|
