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Our ocean provides countless benefits to our planet and all the creatures that live here (Photo: NOAA).
Celebrate the ocean with us as we spotlight ocean awareness and literacy all month long. This year’s weekly theme’s cover topics related to Our Blue Economy; The Ocean is for Everyone; Conserve, Restore, and Connect; and Coastal Resilence. You can access a boatload of resources, ocean facts, infographics, and a video message for the National Ocean Service Assistant Administrator, Nicole R. LeBoeuf. Be sure to follow along social media with the hashtag #OceanMonthNOAA to stay afloat with all NOAA is doing to celebrate the ocean!
Celebrate Our Ocean
Marine debris threatens our island communities coral reefs (Photo Credit: The Dive Shop at The Reef).
We are excited to announce our new webinar series: Tropical Islands Partnering on Solutions for Marine Debris (TIPS). This series will share perspectives and solutions on the pressing issue of marine debris in island communities and brings together tropical island communities from across continents to discuss different marine debris-related topics, such as disposal, storm impacts and recovery, the impacts of tourism, and more! Interested in joining? The first webinar will take place June 11.
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An abandoned derelict vessel crashed into a marina walkway in Ft. Myers Yacht Basin caused by Hurricane Ian (Photo: NOAA).
The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) is still requesting proposals under the Hurricane Response Marine Debris Removal Fund now through July 26. With funding from the NOAA Marine Debris Program, NFWF is seeking applications for approximately $6 million in grants to remove marine debris from impacted coastal areas. The program will primarily fund marine debris assessment, removal, restoration, and disposal activities in coastal communities in Alaska, Florida, Georgia, Puerto Rico, and South Carolina. Projects will prevent further damage to sensitive coastal habitats and species and reduce the impacts of marine debris on properties, community infrastructure, assets of economic importance, and navigation safety. Apply here!
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The Urban Ocean Summit will take place in Chennai, India (Photo: Ocean Conservancy).
This June, thanks to funding from the NOAA Marine Debris Program, Ocean Conservancy and its partners will host the first in-person meeting of the 12 current Urban Ocean cities at the Urban Ocean Summit! Urban Ocean® is a capacity-building and accelerator program to end ocean plastic pollution and build more resilient cities. Urban Ocean champions circular economy principles, builds awareness of ocean plastic pollution, assesses waste management systems, and supports cities to develop projects that address the interrelated challenges of ocean plastics and resilience. The program is jointly implemented by Resilient Cities Network, Ocean Conservancy and The Circulate Initiative.
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A firework celebration (Photo: R. Gino Santa Mariavia, Adobe Stock).
It is not uncommon to find streets and beaches littered with the remnants of fireworks during summer celebrations. Pieces of plastic, paper, and cardboard that are not properly disposed of, can easily make their way to the beaches and the ocean to become marine debris. Marine debris is an eyesore along shorelines around the world. It degrades the beauty of beaches and deters tourists and residents from enjoying the beach over the holiday. Leftover trash from fireworks can pose major risks to marine animals when it enters the ocean. There are a number of activities we can all partake in to keep our beaches free of firework debris.
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