5th International Marine Debris Conference
Location: Honolulu, HI
Date: March 20-25, 2011
Conference Website: www.5IMDC.org
Background | Previous Conferences | For More Information
The Fifth International Marine Debris Conference took place March 20-25, 2011, in Honolulu, Hawai’i. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the United Nations Environment Programme are co-organizers of the conference, which brought together 440 participants representing 38 countries. Attendees participated in workshops, field trips, technical and policy sessions, poster presentations, and panel discussions. They enjoyed receptions, exhibits of marine debris art from around the globe, musical entertainment, and a movie night with 11 short films on marine debris created by children, researchers, advocates, and educators. Keynote speakers included Jean-Michel Cousteau, Senator Daniel Inouye (HI), Representative Sam Farr (CA), and ocean rower Roz Savage. Conference participants refined and endorsed by acclamation the Honolulu Commitment, which outlines 12 actions to reduce marine debris. Participants and a group of rapporteurs also worked to revise the Honolulu Strategy, a global framework strategy to prevent, reduce, and manage marine debris.
*Download the conference program (
11.7mb).
For the most up-to-date information, please visit the conference website.
Background
Marine debris is a historical problem that continues to grow. The world’s oceans and waterways are constantly polluted with a wide variety of marine debris ranging from soda cans and plastic bags to derelict fishing gear and abandoned vessels. Many animals, such as sea turtles, seabirds, and marine mammals, have been known to ingest marine debris, which may lead to loss of nutrition, internal injury, intestinal blockage, starvation, and even death. Derelict fishing gear, such as fishing nets and lines, poses entanglement hazards for marine life, can smother the living substrate upon which it settles, and can serve as a vector for the introduction of alien species. Marine debris is an international concern not only because it washes up on beaches and shorelines worldwide, but also because debris can be transferred from one country to another via ocean currents and because it impacts commercial fisheries throughout the world. International cooperation is needed to create public awareness while developing ways to decrease the amount of debris in oceans around the globe.
Cooperation and coordination among many countries was fostered through four international marine debris conferences held between 1984 and 2000, as well as through smaller international agreements, meetings, and workshops. Each conference developed a suite of recommendations on how to move forward. Some recommendations were implemented, and many others showed up repeatedly at multiple conferences and meetings over the course of the past 25 years. This conference will allow the sharing of information on the implementation, progress, and obstacles to these recommendations and reviewing their effectiveness.
Previous Conferences
Proceedings available online:
2000: http://hawaiihumpbackwhale.noaa.gov/documents/
intmarinedebris.html
1994: http://www.st.nmfs.gov/tm/afsc/afsc051.pdf
Poster abstracts and manuscripts only:
1989:
http://swfsc.noaa.gov/publications/TM/SWFSC/NOAA-TM-NMFS-SWFSC-154_TOC.PDF
1984: http://swfsc.noaa.gov/publications/TM/SWFSC/NOAA-TM-NMFS-SWFC-54.PDF
