Gulf of Mexico Marine Debris Mapping Project
Gulf Region; 2006-2009
Background | Materials and Web Site | Photos and Video | Response Plan
Background
During the 2005 hurricane season, hurricanes Katrina and Rita inflicted severe damage on the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) coastal region, and deposited extensive amounts of debris over various areas of the Gulf coast. Submerged marine debris poses a hazard to vessel traffic and can adversely affect commercially viable fishing grounds. To address the submerged debris problem, Congress appropriated funds to survey areas potentially affected by submerged marine debris, tasking NOAA’s Office of Coast Survey and Office of Response and Restoration to conduct the surveys, compile and disseminate data in an effective and useable format, conduct marine debris risk assessments, and carry out other outreach activities specific to this project.
One of the key elements of this project is to ensure the states' fishing communities and public are aware of survey planning, progress and findings. The NOAA Marine Debris Program is building a strong public outreach program to develop methods of disseminating survey and debris risk assessment results in a useful and effective manner. A Web site has been developed to provide easily accessible information to anyone with an interest in the findings of the surveys and who have access to the Internet.
Materials and Web Site
Find out more about this project by visiting the Web site or view the one-pager for this project.
"Marine Debris: Impacts in the Gulf of Mexico" (pdf, 1.6mb)
NOAA Fisheries Service, Southeast Regional Office, Protected Resources Division; Dec. 2006
Photos and Video
PHOTOS:
Click here for a photo gallery and slideshow of photos.
VIDEO:
Gulf of Mexico Marine Debris Project (2008)
Marine Debris Emergency Response Plan in the Gulf of Mexico
By: Nir Barnea, Jacqui Michel, Brendan Bray, Zachary Nixon, Gretchen Imahori, and Crescent Moegling
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Technical Memorandum NOS-OR&R-31
June 2009
This document is a response to the need identified by Gulf region stakeholders. Its goal is to assist in the planning, assessment, removal, and disposal or recycling of marine debris. It provides guidelines, information, and resources to deal with marine debris dispersion in marine areas outside of major shipping channels, and it incorporates experience and lessons learned from the post-Katrina and Rita marine debris survey and removal efforts. The document does not attempt to provide a fully detailed plan nor serve as a regulatory requirement. Rather, it is a simple, informal, and hopefully useful tool to assist managers at the Federal, State, and local levels to be better prepared to deal with marine debris the next time a powerful storm creates a major marine debris problem.
Download it here (pdf 2.2 MB).
This project is housed within NOAA's Ocean Service, Office of Response and Restoration and Office of Coast Survey.
