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).

Partner Updates

Workshop participants discover that the most commonly found item at the beach on this day was clear plastic beverage bottles (Photo Credit: Cait Goodwin, Oregon Sea Grant).

Marine Debris Workshop for South Coast Educators

On a recent wet and windy Saturday, educators from Oregon Sea Grant and South Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve shared marine debris lessons and resources with south coast educators at a teacher training in Gold Beach. Participants met local experts, played The Watershed Game, and were introduced to a variety of marine debris lessons. In one lesson, they examined solutions that could help prevent microplastic fibers shed from clothing from ending up in the bodies of deep-sea fish. Outdoors, they identified possible sources and vectors for litter heading toward the ocean and conducted a short beach clean-up. Many thanks to the Oregon Coast STEM Hub for their support for this workshop. Teachers are now implementing what they learned with their students!

CoastWatch volunteers removing debris from vital Western snowy plover habitat (Photo Credit: Denise Harrington).

Third Annual CoastWatch Dunes Cleanup

CoastWatch volunteers gathered in February for the third annual cleanup of Western snowy plover nesting areas in the Siuslaw National Forest. These sensitive habitats are off-limits during nesting season, so we schedule cleanups after winter’s final king tides. This year, we got a close-up view of a restored 25-acre plover habitat between Siltcoos and Oregon Dunes Day Use Area.

Special thanks to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service wildlife biologist Cindy Burns and her team, who worked three days alongside volunteers. This project is part of our Art & Ecology Workshops. The debris collected supports classroom lessons on dune ecology and marine debris. We also share materials with Washed Ashore to turn trash into art. Thanks to the Oregon Parks Foundation Fund, Oregon Community Foundation BottleDrop Fund, and especially our amazing volunteers—we couldn't do it without you!

Deputy Blake in Newport, Oregon (Photo Credit: Oregon State Marine Board).

Oregon State Marine Board Service of

Excellence Award

The Oregon State Marine Board awarded its “Service of Excellence Award” to Deputy Dion Blake, of the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office. Deputy Blake improved boat registration compliance from 10 to 90 percent since 2019 and helped remove nearly a dozen abandoned derelict vessels in partnership with the Port of Newport. “Deputy Blake’s direct actions prevent vessels from becoming marine debris and impeding safe navigation, along with the threat of environmental impacts to Oregon waterways,” said Phil Hudspeth, the Marine Board’s Boating Policy and Environmental Coordinator. “He has set the gold standard for sheriff office marine patrols to model for mitigating abandoned derelict vessels”.

Farewell to COASST's Marine Debris Survey Module

The Coastal Observation and Seabird Survey Team (COASST) has suspended their marine debris survey module effective January 31, 2025. We thank all our volunteers for the time and energy they have put towards collecting this dataset over the last decade. The COASST marine debris dataset will be published through NOAA and the National Centers for Environmental information and is currently accessible to partners through data use agreements. For more information please read the COASST blog or visit the COASST website.

NOAA Marine Debris Program Updates

Special Funding Opportunity: Nationwide Fishing Trap Removal, Assessment, and Prevention (TRAP) Program With funding from the NOAA Marine Debris Program, the William and Mary’s Batten School and the Virginia Institute of Marine Science is seeking applications to remove derelict fishing traps throughout coastal waterways of the United States while collecting data to prevent future gear loss. Projects throughout the coastal United States, including United States territories and Freely Associated States, are eligible for consideration. Proposals are due on May 30, 2025 by 11:59 PM Eastern Daylight Time (EDT). For more information on the application process, visit the William and Mary’s Batten School and the Virginia Institute of Marine Science website.

PreK-12 Teachers: Promote Watershed and Ocean Stewardship in Your School or Local Community By Becoming a NOAA Ocean Guardian School Through a school- or community-based project, students work to make a difference in the health and protection of their local watersheds, the ocean, and special ocean areas like national marine sanctuaries. Participation without funding: Any school (PreK-12) in the United States may apply to participate without funding. Participation with funding: Grant amounts range from $1,000 - $4,000 per school depending on the program region and funding year. Any school (PreK-12) from the following locations may apply for an Ocean Guardian School grant. Oregon counties: Clatsop, Tillamook, Lincoln, Lane, Douglas, Coos and Curry Apply by July 1, 2025 for the 2025-2026 school year.

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.