Partner Updates
 A Puget Soundkeeper Alliance volunteer weighing debris collected at an International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) day event at Myrtle Edwards Park in Seattle (Photo Credit: Puget Soundkeeper).
Turning the Tide on Litter Pollution in Puget Sound
Puget Soundkeeper’s 2024 International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) events marked a remarkable effort by the community to combat pollution in the Sound. Over 741 volunteers participated in 13 cleanup events, collecting 2,600 pounds of debris from Seattle to Bellingham!
2024 was especially significant, as for the first time in history, the Ocean Conservancy launched its ICC flagship event in Seattle, with nearly 200 volunteers joining together at Alki Beach. Volunteers documented and removed several unusual items from waterways regionally, from screwdrivers to refrigerators!
Learn more about Puget Soundkeeper's 2024 ICC report.
 An unusual marine debris event in False Bay, San Juan Island this January (Photo Credit: Patrick Kirby).
San Juan County Derelict Vessel Program
Hard at Work
Windstorms and extreme tides wreaked havoc this winter. Fall vessel patrols prompted several vessel owners to be contacted about concerns seen with their anchored vessels. Many owners responded quickly and remedied problems before disaster struck. Unfortunately, several boats drug anchor with a handful hitting local beaches. As an Authorized Public Entity, the San Juan County Derelict Vessel Program was able to take Temporary Emergency Possession of 5 vessels in danger of sinking or breaking-up and quickly get them to safety through an agreement with Tow Boat US and an Interlocal Cooperation Agreement between the County and the Port of Friday Harbor.
Costs for emergency towing and storage are around $1,000. Costs for refloating, removal and disposal of damaged and sunken vessels can be more than $10,000. Go Check Your Boat!
Learn more about the San Juan County Derelict Vessel Program.
 A rainbow arrangement of debris collected over one week on the beach near the Port Townsend Marine Science Center (Photo Credit: Jackie Lindsey).
Closing the COASST Marine Debris Module
COASST received funding to develop a marine debris survey module in 2014, and over the last decade hundreds of citizen scientists have collected detailed data on over 36,000 items across 4,600 surveys, with findings published in two research journals. This year, we have made the difficult decision to suspend data collection for the COASST debris module. Though no new data will be collected, we are committed to archiving our dataset in a publicly accessible location (NCEI), and finishing the analyses that we have in prep. Those interested in using the existing COASST dataset should reach out to coasst@uw.edu. We will make sure we post links to our archived dataset online at http://coasst.org as soon as they are available. Thank you for including us in this community!
 NOAA Marine Debris Program Updates
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First Round of Projects Announced Under the Nationwide TRAP Program
We are pleased to announce with the William and Mary’s Batten School and the Virginia Institute of Marine Science 11 new marine debris removal projects under the Nationwide Fishing Trap Removal, Assessment, and Prevention (TRAP) Program. These projects represent an investment of $1.4 million to clean our nation's waterways with funds provided by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. These new projects will remove derelict fishing traps from coastal waterways to support fishing communities and economies while collecting data to prevent future gear loss.
In Washington, the Northwest Straits Foundation in partnership with Natural Resources Consultants will remove and prevent derelict crab pots in the Maury Island Aquatic Reserve, which is located within the Puyallup Tribe of Indians' usual and accustomed fishing grounds. Learn more.
(Photo Credit: Center for Coastal Resources Management).
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Funding Opportunity: US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling (SWIFR) Grants for Tribes and Intertribal Consortia
The US EPA's SWIFR grants will award $20 million to federally recognized tribes and intertribal consortia to implement the building of circular economy for all strategy series, improve local municipal recycling and other post-consumer materials management programs, and make improvements to local waste management systems. Learn more.
Deadline: March 14, 2025, 11:59 PM ET
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NOAA Marine Debris Program Announces SciScoop Newsletter
Looking to keep up with research activities of the Marine Debris Program? The NOAA MDP Science Team has just launched their newsletter, SciScoop, which will feature team activities and highlights including final results from Marine Debris Program-funded research and recent publications, as well as our team’s involvement in various workshops and conferences throughout the year. Click here to get the scoop!
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Conference: Turning the Tide Virtual Summit (February 25-27)
Turning the Tide Online will be a three-day virtual summit centered on exploring existing and emerging technologies and best practices for responsible and sustainable disposal of boating-related waste streams presented by the BoatUS Foundation. Learn more about the event and register here.
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New U.S. EPA Escaped Trash Risk Map
The U.S. EPA’s Trash Free Waters program recently unveiled the new Escaped Trash Risk Map developed in collaboration with the University of Georgia and the Sea Education Association. It displays a modeled estimate of escaped trash density across the United States. “Escaped Trash” refers to waste materials that leak out from waste management systems. This could be through spillage from non-secured containers, intentional littering, or other means. This map is designed to help local governments and communities identify high-density escaped trash areas so they can evaluate impacts and do something about them. Learn more.
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2025 NOAA Marine Debris Program Calendars Now Available for Download
The NOAA Marine Debris Program is proud to announce that our 2025 Marine Debris Calendar is now available for download! Our annual art contest aims to get students thinking about how marine debris impacts our ocean and Great Lakes, and what they can do to help. This year’s calendar features artwork from 13 students in kindergarten through eighth grade from eight states and two U.S. territories, all winners of the “Keep the Sea Free of Debris” art contest. Learn more.
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