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 The former Abandoned and Derelict Vessel, Carlyle III, removed in 2020 from Newport, Oregon as part of a removal grant project by the Oregon State Marine Board and funded in partnership with the NOAA Marine Debris Program (Photo Credit: Oregon State Marine Board).
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Partner Updates
 Photo: COASST.
Upcoming COASST Virtual Training Workshop
In the upcoming quarter, the Coastal Observation and Seabird Survey Team (COASST) will launch a virtual training module for the COASST marine debris monitoring program. While COASST program staff will continue to host in-community training workshops throughout the year, the virtual training workshops will help to increase the accessibility of the survey program for a broader community. The pilot workshop (modeled after the COASSTLite! virtual training program for beached bird surveyors, which was developed mid- pandemic) will take place on Friday, June 14th from 11:30 am – 2:30 pm. Readers of this newsletter are warmly invited to attend and share feedback. Please email coasst@uw.edu to sign up (Attendance will be capped at 15, with a waitlist for an upcoming training date for interested potential surveyors).
 Volunteers collecting trash on Seaside Beach. Photo: SOLVE.
Over 4,000 SOLVE volunteers celebrated Earth Day with 24 cleanup events spanning the Oregon Coast
The Oregon Spring Cleanup, in partnership with Portland General Electric, concluded on Earth Day with resounding success. Between April 13 and April 22, more than 4,000 volunteers across Oregon and SW Washington gathered for a celebration of Earth Day, where they collectively picked up 21,981 pounds of litter and marine debris and removed 21,900 square feet of invasive plant species. The majority of coastal events culminated on April 20th: from Astoria to Brookings, 1,237 volunteers collected 7,941 pounds of litter and marine debris. Families, community members, neighborhood associations, youth groups, and environmental enthusiasts once again made the Oregon Spring Cleanup the highlight of SOLVE's annual calendar.
More details about SOLVE’s Oregon Spring Cleanup results: https://www.solveoregon.org/post/oregon-spring-cleanup-results
As we are gearing up for summer, there are many ways to get involved with SOLVE! Clearing beaches and riverbanks of fireworks and debris to ensure a joyful holiday weekend for all is a great opportunity. SOLVE is looking for event leaders to host Post-July 4th Cleanups to ensure our favorite beaches remain pristine havens for all to enjoy.
More information: https://www.solveoregon.org/post-4th
 Educator workshop participants sort marine debris collected from Oregon beaches. Photo: Cait Goodwin, Oregon Sea Grant.
Oregon Coalition to Combat Marine Debris
Oregon Sea Grant recently launched a Sea Grant Community Action Coalition project called the Oregon Coalition to Combat Marine Debris. This multi-faceted project brings youth and community partners together to identify solutions that prevent ocean pollution.
One activity of the project has been to share Marine Debris Interruptions (MDI) lessons at educator workshops and trainings. Recently, nine teachers at a Garibaldi workshop discovered how to use the MDI lesson format to explore debris associated with recreational crabbing, and 11 informal educators in Newport learned about plastic shotgun wad debris found on local beaches. Now, educators are sharing the MDI activities with students. For example, 10 schools participating in outdoor school at OMSI’s Camp Gray this spring are engaging in hands-on learning activities that are based on the MDI lessons.
NOAA Marine Debris Program Updates
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Special Funding Opportunity: Nationwide Fishing Trap Removal, Assessment, and Prevention (TRAP) Program
The NOAA Marine Debris Program is pleased to announce with the Virginia Institute of Marine Science, a request for proposals under the Nationwide Fishing Trap Removal, Assessment, and Prevention (TRAP) Program. With funding from the NOAA Marine Debris Program provided by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the Virginia Institute of Marine Science will award up to $1,475,000 in grants to remove derelict fishing traps throughout coastal waterways of the United States while collecting data to prevent future gear loss.
Submission deadline: Thursday May 30, 2024
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EPA Inflation Reduction Act Community Change Grants
The Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Environmental and Climate Justice Community Change Grants program (Community Change Grants) announced a Notice of Funding Opportunity for approximately $2 billion in Inflation Reduction Act funds to benefit disadvantaged communities through projects that reduce pollution, increase community climate resilience, and build community capacity to address environmental and climate justice challenges.
Deadline: Thursday November 21, 2024
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Congratulations to Our NOAA Marine Debris Art Contest Winners!
We are pleased to announce the winners of the Annual NOAA Marine Debris Program Art Contest! We received many colorful, creative, and informative entries from around the country, and although we wish we could showcase them all, we are excited to share the winners of this year’s contest with you. The winning artwork is featured in our 2025 calendar (available later this year), which will help to remind us every day of the importance of being responsible stewards of the ocean. Learn more about the winners here.
Artwork by Anika A. (Grade 4, Washington), winner of the Annual NOAA Marine Debris Program Art Contest.
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Capitol Hill Ocean Week
Registration is now open for Capitol Hill Ocean Week. The event will be held on June 4-6, 2024 in Washington, DC, and will be hosted by the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation. Join conversations with policymakers, scientists, managers, business leaders, educators, students, and members of the public about issues, partnerships, and innovative solutions for our ocean and Great Lakes. This year's event will center around the theme of leadership. This event is open to the public and free for all attendees.
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2024 Ocean Odyssey Marine Debris Awards for DEIJA Announced
The NOAA Marine Debris Program and the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation are pleased to announce the 12 recipients of the Ocean Odyssey Fiscal Year 2024 Marine Debris Awards for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Justice, and Accessibility, totaling over $84,000. These projects will support initiatives that investigate and prevent the adverse impacts of marine debris in communities that are underserved, underrepresented, or overburdened. View the award recipients here.
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Webinar Recording: Participatory Science in Marine Debris Monitoring
The Marine Debris Monitoring and Assessment Project, or MDMAP, engages NOAA partners and volunteers around the world to survey and record the amount and types of marine debris on shorelines. This talk explores how MDMAP navigates trade-offs in standardization and flexibility, ease of participation and rigor, and data quantity and quality. Recording available here.
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The articles written by partners are not the opinions of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and do not imply that NOAA recommends or endorses those expressed by partner organizations. These opinions and their associated actions will be carried out by interested partner organizations and are not affiliated with NOAA or the NOAA Marine Debris Program. |
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