Shoreline Monitoring for Debris
NOAA Marine Debris Program staff test survey protocols on a Chesapeake Bay shoreline.
NOAA Marine Debris Program staff test survey protocols on a Chesapeake Bay shoreline.
Marine Debris Monitoring and Assessment
Marine debris is an every-day problem for much of the Pacific-area, so it is difficult to tell in most cases whether an item was lost during the tsunami. However, significant changes in the types and quantities of debris at a shoreline over time may be a sign that tsunami debris is washing ashore.
To observe that shift, volunteers will collect information on the types and amounts of debris on our shorelines for two years, as part of a NOAA Marine Debris Program shoreline monitoring project. Debris surveyors can then compare any changes or shifts from the baseline.
The initiative, called the Marine Debris Monitoring and Assessment Project (MD-MAP), has a great network of dedicated partners from NGOs, academia, and government conducting the monitoring using the standardized NOAA Marine Debris Shoreline Survey Field Guide protocol and datasheets. The survey sites are located throughout the five impacted states.
Alaska |
California |
Hawaii |
NWHI |
Oregon |
Washington |
What else will MD-MAP tell us?
How big is the marine debris problem, and which types are most common? Where is it coming from? Information collected on the types and quantities of debris in the marine environment through MD-MAP can help answer some of these questions - and inform prevention efforts.
Interested in getting involved?
If you would like to learn more about the MD-MAP or request a PDF of the NOAA Marine Debris Program Shoreline Survey Field Guide, please contact MD.monitoring@noaa.gov.
Download the protocol. (
PDF, 3 MB)
