A cleanup crew with the Ocean Plastic Recovery Project poses with bags of retrieved marine debris removed from Alaska shorelines (Photo Credit: Ocean Plastic Recovery Project).

In This Issue Now Open: The NOAA Marine Debris Program Art Contest Addressing the Life Cycle of Lost Fishing Gear in the Gulf of Maine Float It, Lift It, Swim It GOAA Removing Derelict Vessels From Texas Lynnhaven River NOW is Restoring Virginia Waterways Thanksgiving Craft Now Open: Clean Oceans Innovation Hub Quick Links Marine Debris Website
Marine Debris Blog
Monitoring Toolbox
In Your Region
ADV InfoHub
Clearinghouse Monitoring Toolbox

The NOAA Marine Debris Monitoring and Assessment Project (MDMAP) has an updated Monitoring Toolbox! Check out the new video tutorials and database visualization tools, along with refreshed guides and field datasheets. The Monitoring Toolbox contains all of the resources you need to get started.

Learn More

Want to hear more from the NOAA MDP? Follow us on: @NOAAMarineDebris @NOAADebris @NOAADebris Website & Blog Now Open: The NOAA Marine Debris Program Art Contest!

Artwork by By Jeewoo S. (Grade 8, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands), winner of the 2022 NOAA Marine Debris Art Contest.

Are you a student or teacher who’s passionate about marine debris? Then get your art supplies ready, because this year’s NOAA Marine Debris Program Art Contest is officially open! Students in grades K-8 from the United States and U.S. territories can submit their artwork now through December 11 that answers the questions: How does marine debris impact the ocean and Great Lakes? What are you doing to help prevent marine debris? Enter today and you could see your artwork featured in our 2028 Marine Debris Calendar! So get crafty, get creative, and help us raise awareness about marine debris. 

More information about submission requirements and how to enter are available on our website.

How One Partnership is Addressing the Life Cycle of Lost Fishing Gear in the Gulf of Maine

A large swath of traps ready for pickup on Great Brewster Island in Boston Harbor collected by Center for Coastal Studies volunteers (Photo Credit: Center for Coastal Studies).

Follow the life cycle of a lost lobster trap, from working gear to marine debris, through recovery, recycling, repurposing, and proper disposal. Learn how collaboration among nonprofit organizations, commercial fishers, state agencies, volunteers, and coastal communities is helping reduce the impacts of marine debris while contributing to a cleaner Gulf of Maine. With support from a 2023 award from the NOAA Marine Debris Program, the Center for Coastal Studies and partners removed over 2,000,000 pounds of marine debris across the Gulf of Maine, processed and recycled nearly 30,000 lost or retired lobster traps, and worked alongside more than 100 commercial fishers to recover lost and end-of-life fishing gear over three years.

Learn more about this project.

Float It, Lift It, Swim It, Fly It: Addressing Large-Scale Marine Debris

Divers use lift bags to extract lost traps from the seafloor (Photo Credit: Sean Davis/National Marine Sanctuary Foundation).

Some marine debris can be picked up by hand. Some requires cranes, divers, flotation devices, or even helicopters to remove. As the NOAA Marine Debris Program marks its 20th anniversary, we are looking at how our work has evolved to address large-scale marine debris across the country. From lost fishing gear tangled on the seafloor to abandoned vessels and decades-old coastal structures, these projects are anything but straightforward. There are multiple strategies and techniques that our partners use to remove even the most persnickety debris from our marine environment. Investments in these projects support the removal of millions of pounds of marine debris, help communities recover from disasters, improve navigational safety, create jobs, and restore important habitat.

Learn more about how our partners float it, lift it, swim it, and fly it out.

Gulf of America Alliance is Removing Abandoned and Derelict Vessels from Texas

An abandoned and derelict vessel removed from Galveston County, Texas (Photo Credit: Gulf of America Alliance).

The Gulf of America Alliance (GOAA), in partnership with the Texas General Land Office, began efforts to remove several derelict vessels in southeast Texas. Five vessels are being removed in Galveston County and seven are planned for removal in Harris County. The most noteworthy of the removals was the “ACTA,” a 51-foot fiberglass recreational vessel that was abandoned in Offatts Bayou in Galveston County as a result of Hurricane Beryl in 2024. This project is funded by a 2023 award from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Marine Debris Program.

Learn more about this project.

Lynnhaven River NOW is Restoring Virginia’s Waterways

Lynnhaven River NOW’s educational video about abandoned and derelict vessels (Photo Credit: Lynnhaven River NOW).

With support from a 2023 award from the NOAA Marine Debris Program, Lynnhaven River NOW is removing and properly disposing of abandoned and derelict vessels throughout Virginia’s coastal zone. Lynnhaven River NOW created an educational video, “Restoring Virginia’s Waterways,” that explores the issue of abandoned and derelict vessels in coastal Virginia and their effects on local marine habitats and public safety. It follows the work of Lynnhaven River NOW and its partners as they safely recover and dispose of hazardous vessels using specialized equipment. It also highlights the importance of responsible vessel ownership and ways to help prevent future abandonments, including vessel turn-in programs and purchasing boat insurance.

Watch the full educational video.

Gobble Up This Thanksgiving Craft

Upcycled egg cartons used to create Thanksgiving turkeys (Photo Credit: NOAA).

A great way to show your gratitude for our ocean and environment is to repurpose materials that would otherwise be thrown away. Get ready for the Thanksgiving spirit by upcycling an egg carton into a flock of turkeys! 

Check out the supply list and step-by-step instructions.

Now Open: Clean Oceans Innovation Hub

Now accepting initial concept notes (Photo Credit: Marine Debris Foundation).

The Marine Debris Foundation is now accepting initial concept notes for funding and partnerships through the Clean Oceans Innovation Hub. Supported by a 2025 award from the NOAA Marine Debris Program, this new initiative aims to catalyze scalable solutions that prevent, remove, and reduce marine debris and plastic pollution. The Clean Oceans Innovation Hub will connect promising solutions with the funding, expertise, partnerships, and networks needed to move them from ideas to implementation. Concept notes are being accepted on a rolling basis and questions can be directed to info@marinedebrisfoundation.org. 

Learn more about the opportunity and submit initial concept notes.

 

Marine Debris Program | Office of Response and Restoration | National Ocean Service | NOAA  2026

1305 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910

Contact us at marinedebris.web@noaa.gov

How One Partnership Addressed the Life Cycle of Lost Fishing Gear in the Gulf of Maine madison.piascik Tue, 10/20/2026 - 13:08

Follow the life cycle of a lost lobster trap, from working gear to marine debris, through recovery, recycling, repurposing, and proper disposal. Learn how collaboration among nonprofit organizations, commercial fishers, state agencies, volunteers, and coastal communities is helping reduce the impacts of marine debris while contributing to a cleaner Gulf of Maine. With support from a 2023 award from the NOAA Marine Debris Program, the Center for Coastal Studies and partners removed over 2,000,000 pounds of marine debris across the Gulf of Maine, processed and recycled nearly 30,000 lost or retired lobster traps, and worked alongside more than 100 commercial fishers to recover lost and end-of-life fishing gear over three years.

• Read more about How One Partnership Addressed the Life Cycle of Lost Fishing Gear in the Gulf of Maine

Tags Large Scale Marine Debris Removal derelict fishing gear removal

How One Partnership Addressed the Life Cycle of Lost Fishing Gear in the Gulf of Maine madison.piascik Tue, 10/20/2026 - 13:08

Follow the life cycle of a lost lobster trap, from working gear to marine debris, through recovery, recycling, repurposing, and proper disposal. Learn how collaboration among nonprofit organizations, commercial fishers, state agencies, volunteers, and coastal communities is helping reduce the impacts of marine debris while contributing to a cleaner Gulf of Maine. With support from a 2023 award from the NOAA Marine Debris Program, the Center for Coastal Studies and partners removed over 2,000,000 pounds of marine debris across the Gulf of Maine, processed and recycled nearly 30,000 lost or retired lobster traps, and worked alongside more than 100 commercial fishers to recover lost and end-of-life fishing gear over three years.

• Read more about How One Partnership Addressed the Life Cycle of Lost Fishing Gear in the Gulf of Maine

Tags Large Scale Marine Debris Removal derelict fishing gear removal

Now Open: The NOAA Marine Debris Program Art Contest! madison.piascik Tue, 10/13/2026 - 09:15

Are you a student or teacher who’s passionate about marine debris? Then get your art supplies ready, because this year’s NOAA Marine Debris Program Art Contest is officially open! Students in grades K-8 from the United States and U.S. territories can submit their artwork now through December 11 that answers the questions: How does marine debris impact the ocean and Great Lakes? What are you doing to help prevent marine debris? Enter today and you could see your artwork featured in our 2028 Marine Debris Calendar! So get crafty, get creative, and help us raise awareness about marine debris. 

• Read more about Now Open: The NOAA Marine Debris Program Art Contest!

Tags art contest education

Float It, Lift It, Swim It, Fly It: Addressing Large-Scale Marine Debris madison.piascik Tue, 10/06/2026 - 11:48

Some marine debris can be picked up by hand. Some requires cranes, divers, flotation devices, or even helicopters to remove. As the NOAA Marine Debris Program marks its 20th anniversary, we are looking at how our work has evolved to address large-scale marine debris across the country. From lost fishing gear tangled on the seafloor to abandoned vessels and decades-old coastal structures, these projects are anything but straightforward. There are multiple strategies and techniques that our partners use to remove even the most persnickety debris from our marine environment. Investments in these projects support the removal of millions of pounds of marine debris, help communities recover from disasters, improve navigational safety, create jobs, and restore important habitat.

• Read more about Float It, Lift It, Swim It, Fly It: Addressing Large-Scale Marine Debris

Tags Large Scale Marine Debris Removal MDP 20 Years removal

Float It, Lift It, Swim It, Fly It: Addressing Large-Scale Marine Debris madison.piascik Tue, 10/06/2026 - 11:48

Some marine debris can be picked up by hand. Some requires cranes, divers, flotation devices, or even helicopters to remove. As the NOAA Marine Debris Program marks its 20th anniversary, we are looking at how our work has evolved to address large-scale marine debris across the country. From lost fishing gear tangled on the seafloor to abandoned vessels and decades-old coastal structures, these projects are anything but straightforward. There are multiple strategies and techniques that our partners use to remove even the most persnickety debris from our marine environment. Investments in these projects support the removal of millions of pounds of marine debris, help communities recover from disasters, improve navigational safety, create jobs, and restore important habitat.

• Read more about Float It, Lift It, Swim It, Fly It: Addressing Large-Scale Marine Debris

Tags Large Scale Marine Debris Removal MDP 20 Years removal

Float It, Lift It, Swim It, Fly It: Addressing Large-Scale Marine Debris madison.piascik Tue, 10/06/2026 - 11:48

Some marine debris can be picked up by hand. Some requires cranes, divers, flotation devices, or even helicopters to remove. As the NOAA Marine Debris Program marks its 20th anniversary, we are looking at how our work has evolved to address large-scale marine debris across the country. From lost fishing gear tangled on the seafloor to abandoned vessels and decades-old coastal structures, these projects are anything but straightforward. There are multiple strategies and techniques that our partners use to remove even the most persnickety debris from our marine environment. Investments in these projects support the removal of millions of pounds of marine debris, help communities recover from disasters, improve navigational safety, create jobs, and restore important habitat.

• Read more about Float It, Lift It, Swim It, Fly It: Addressing Large-Scale Marine Debris

Tags Large Scale Marine Debris Removal MDP 20 Years removal

Float It, Lift It, Swim It, Fly It: Addressing Large-Scale Marine Debris madison.piascik Tue, 10/06/2026 - 11:48

Some marine debris can be picked up by hand. Some requires cranes, divers, flotation devices, or even helicopters to remove. As the NOAA Marine Debris Program marks its 20th anniversary, we are looking at how our work has evolved to address large-scale marine debris across the country. From lost fishing gear tangled on the seafloor to abandoned vessels and decades-old coastal structures, these projects are anything but straightforward. There are multiple strategies and techniques that our partners use to remove even the most persnickety debris from our marine environment. Investments in these projects support the removal of millions of pounds of marine debris, help communities recover from disasters, improve navigational safety, create jobs, and restore important habitat.

• Read more about Float It, Lift It, Swim It, Fly It: Addressing Large-Scale Marine Debris

Tags Large Scale Marine Debris Removal MDP 20 Years removal

Vessels piled up on a highway in Louisiana following Hurricane Katrina (Photo Credit: Federal Emergency Management Agency).

In This Issue 2027 Marine Debris Calendar Back to School Waste Nationwide Trap Awards Surveying Debris on Our Shore Local Action for a National Problem When Disaster Brings Debris HMS Art Contest Quick Links Marine Debris Website
Marine Debris Blog
Monitoring Toolbox
In Your Region
ADV InfoHub
Clearinghouse Monitoring Toolbox

The NOAA Marine Debris Monitoring and Assessment Project (MDMAP) has an updated Monitoring Toolbox! Check out the new video tutorials and database visualization tools, along with refreshed guides and field datasheets. The Monitoring Toolbox contains all of the resources you need to get started.

Learn More

Want to hear more from the NOAA MDP? Follow us on: @NOAAMarineDebris @NOAADebris @NOAADebris Website & Blog The 2027 Marine Debris Calendar is Now Available!

Artwork by Carson M. (Grade 5, Georgia), winner of the 2019 NOAA Marine Debris Program Art Contest.

The NOAA Marine Debris Program is pleased to announce that the 2027 Marine Debris Calendar is now available for download! This year, the NOAA Marine Debris Program is celebrating 20 years of cleaning our coasts. That’s why the 2027 Marine Debris Calendar features winning artwork across the last 16 years of the “Keep the Sea Free of Debris!” Art Contest. The 13 entries featured in this calendar are a selection of winning entries from the 2011-2026 calendars, created by students around the United States and territories in grades kindergarten to eighth grade. 

The 2027 Marine Debris Calendar is currently available for download on our website and this year’s Art Contest is coming soon!

Back to School Special: What are you disposing of this school year?

Through One Cool Earth, students participated in a campus wide trash clean up and learned about how litter becomes marine debris (Photo Credit: One Cool Earth).

The start of the school year is the best time to build new habits in the classroom! If you want to reduce the amount of waste your class produces, a great way to start is to understand what is in your trash and recycling bins. Figure out how much waste your class creates! 

Learn how to implement this in your classroom.

The William and Mary’s Virginia Institute of Marine Science and Batten School Announces 11 New Projects Under the Nationwide Trap Removal, Assessment, and Prevention (TRAP) Program

Abandoned lobster traps recovered by Hill Fisheries LTD near Cape Ann, Massachusetts (Photo Credit: Hill Fisheries LTD).

The William and Mary’s Virginia Institute of Marine Science and Batten School, in partnership with the NOAA Marine Debris Program, announced 11 new marine debris removal projects under the Nationwide TRAP Program. These projects represent an investment of over $1.24 million for the removal of derelict fishing traps with funds provided by a 2023 award from the NOAA Marine Debris Program. The projects will remove an estimated 15,000 lost and abandoned traps while creating over 100 jobs in California, Florida, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, and North Carolina.

Learn more on the William and Mary’s Virginia Institute of Marine Science and Batten School TRAP Program website.

Surveying Debris on Our Shores

A surveyor stands near a transect on a shoreline at a Nationwide Survey site in Hawaiʻi (Photo Credit: Dawson/NOAA Marine Debris Program).

How much marine debris is along our nation’s shorelines, and how is it changing over time? From Alaska to the Caribbean, scientists are surveying hundreds of shorelines to better understand marine debris across the United States and its territories. In 2024, the NOAA Marine Debris Program launched the NOAA Marine Debris Monitoring and Assessment Project Nationwide Survey, a shoreline survey effort spanning 620 sites in 10 pre-defined regions incorporating every U.S. coastal state and inhabited territory. The results will provide information to help communities identify debris hotspots, target cleanup and prevention efforts, and track changes in the amounts, types, and distribution of marine debris. With the first year of field surveys well underway and a second year planned, here is an update on what’s happening and how you can follow along.

Learn more about the Nationwide Survey.

Local Action For A National Problem

Puerto Rico Marine Debris Action Plan annual meeting in May 2025 (Photo Credit: NOAA).

Sprawling rivers, winding lakes, and vast miles of ocean and shoreline. Marine environments connect us all from remote communities to the most populous regions. Recognizing that need, the NOAA Marine Debris Program works within communities to build relationships and engage with regional experts. Over the last two decades, this has resulted in the creation of 16 marine debris action plans—collaborative road maps for stakeholders across a state or region to address marine debris. 

Learn more about the legacy of these dedicated marine debris communities.

When Disaster Brings Debris

Aftermath of Hurricane Isabel in Maryland (Photo Credit: Federal Emergency Management Agency/Crystal Payton).

When thinking of the marine debris issue, small items usually come to mind, such as plastic bottles, food packaging, and other commonly littered items. However, everyday trash is only one part of the problem. Severe incidents can turn everyday items into hazards. Understanding these realities, the NOAA Marine Debris Program works with communities to prepare for natural and human-made disasters, coordinates with response agencies during events, and supports disaster debris removal. 

Learn more about marine debris emergency response.

Now Open: Atlantic Highly Migratory Species Art Contest

A blue marlin breaches the ocean surface (Photo Credit: NOAA).

NOAA Fisheries holds an annual art contest open to students from kindergarten through eighth grade. Through art, NOAA Fisheries hopes to raise awareness about Atlantic highly migratory species (HMS) — shark, tuna, billfish, and swordfish.  The 2027 HMS art contest will highlight sustainable fishing of Atlantic sharks, tunas, swordfish and billfish. All entries must be submitted by mail (postmarked) or electronically no later than January 31, 2027. The winning artwork will be featured in a 2028 Atlantic HMS calendar, highlighting the importance of these species to healthy ecosystems and NOAA Fisheries’ successes in conservation through sustainable fisheries management. Contact nmfs.hms.artcontest@noaa.gov with any questions. 

Details on entry requirements, submissions, winning artwork, and more can be found on the HMS Art Contest website.

 

Marine Debris Program | Office of Response and Restoration | National Ocean Service | NOAA  2026

1305 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910

Contact us at marinedebris.web@noaa.gov

The 2027 Marine Debris Calendar is Now Available! madison.piascik Mon, 09/21/2026 - 13:52

The NOAA Marine Debris Program is pleased to announce that the 2027 Marine Debris Calendar is now available for download! This year, the NOAA Marine Debris Program is celebrating 20 years of cleaning our coasts. That’s why the 2027 Marine Debris Calendar features winning artwork across the last 16 years of the “Keep the Sea Free of Debris!” Art Contest. The 13 entries featured in this calendar are a selection of winning entries from the 2011-2026 calendars, created by students around the United States and territories in grades kindergarten to eighth grade.

• Read more about The 2027 Marine Debris Calendar is Now Available!

Tags calendar MDP 20 Years

The 2027 Marine Debris Calendar is Now Available! madison.piascik Mon, 09/21/2026 - 13:52

The NOAA Marine Debris Program is pleased to announce that the 2027 Marine Debris Calendar is now available for download! This year, the NOAA Marine Debris Program is celebrating 20 years of cleaning our coasts. That’s why the 2027 Marine Debris Calendar features winning artwork across the last 16 years of the “Keep the Sea Free of Debris!” Art Contest. The 13 entries featured in this calendar are a selection of winning entries from the 2011-2026 calendars, created by students around the United States and territories in grades kindergarten to eighth grade.

• Read more about The 2027 Marine Debris Calendar is Now Available!

Tags calendar MDP 20 Years

When Disaster Brings Debris madison.piascik Fri, 09/11/2026 - 11:27

When thinking of the marine debris issue, small items usually come to mind, such as plastic bottles, food packaging, and other commonly littered items. However, everyday trash is only one part of the problem. Severe incidents can turn everyday items into hazards. Understanding these realities, the NOAA Marine Debris Program works with communities to prepare for natural and human-made disasters, coordinates with response agencies during events, and supports disaster debris removal.

• Read more about When Disaster Brings Debris

Tags emergency response MDP 20 Years