Keeping Puget Sound Clean: 29 Abandoned Boats Removed, Deconstructed, and Recycled madison.piascik Wed, 05/27/2026 - 12:25

The Washington Department of Natural Resources, with 2024 funding from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Marine Debris Program, is removing derelict vessels from the Puget Sound and supporting the prevention of boat abandonment through their voluntary Vessel Turn-In Program. This program provides Washington boat owners with an alternative to abandonment, helping to prevent derelict vessels and associated pollutants from harming state aquatic lands. Focusing on early intervention and empowering boat owners to dispose of unwanted vessels responsibly prevents costly removals later.

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Tags Large Scale Marine Debris Removal Pacific Northwest removal ADVs

Working with Tribes to Remove Marine Debris madison.piascik Wed, 11/27/2024 - 11:45

The NOAA Marine Debris Program is proud to collaborate with multiple tribal partners in efforts to remove marine debris from our waterways and support communities that work to reduce the impacts of marine debris on our shores. Through our grant programs, regional action plans, and community-building efforts, the NOAA Marine Debris Program strives to bring together the many groups that work tirelessly to protect our shorelines and ocean. On Native American Heritage Day, in celebration of our tribal partners’ rich ancestral heritage and commitment to stewardship, we are highlighting some active and recently completed projects that partner with or are led by native communities. Learn more about each of the projects, the impacts of marine debris on native communities, and native leadership in coastal restoration. 

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Tags Alaska Large Scale Marine Debris Removal derelict fishing gear derelict crab pots Pacific Northwest Great Lakes removal holiday

Remove, Recycle, Restore: Salish Synergy in the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary Shanelle.Naone Wed, 08/31/2022 - 11:00

In recent years, increasing amounts of marine debris littering the shores of Washington’s wilderness beaches have caused concern in the conservation community. Salish Synergy: Cross-Border Debris Removal and Recycling, an ambitious new project led by the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation and funded by the NOAA Marine Debris Program, aims to remove 35,000 pounds of marine debris from Washington’s outer coast annually.  

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Tags Pacific Northwest removal

Eliminating Threats of Derelict Crab Pots in Washington’s Salish Sea Shanelle.Naone Wed, 08/10/2022 - 11:00

The wonders of Washington’s Salish Sea are easy to find. A day exploring here can include roaming a shoreline digging for clams while one of the region's many snowcapped mountains loom in the background, catching salmon, pulling up pots full of Dungeness crab, or traversing the majestic San Juan Archipelago. Yet, underneath the waters of the Salish Sea lies a hidden threat to the ecosystem; lost and abandoned fishing nets and crab pots on the seafloor that degrade marine habitat and entangle and capture marine life with no one there to harvest them. Living in this area comes with the responsibility to protect its beauty and the resources it provides.

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Tags Pacific Northwest derelict crab pots removal

Protecting Pacific Northwest Shorelines: A Committed Community Shanelle.Naone Wed, 08/03/2022 - 11:00

Oregon and Washington contain some of the most remote and ecologically diverse coasts in the continental United States. These waters teem with fish and marine mammals, and support tourism and vital subsistence, commercial, and recreational fisheries. Marine debris can be harmful to these waters and all that rely on it. These threats could be derelict fishing gear that entangles and catches marine life, or it could also be large debris such as derelict vessels that have sunk or been improperly disposed of. The NOAA Marine Debris Program partners with community members and organizations in the Pacific Northwest who are committed to preventing and removing these and other types of marine debris.

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Tags Pacific Northwest removal prevention

The Makah Tribe Meets the Challenge of Marine Debris Shanelle.Naone Tue, 11/23/2021 - 23:31

Native Americans have lived on these lands since time immemorial. Their roots are deeply embedded in the land, waters, and genealogy of this place. During National Native American Heritage Month we celebrate the countless contributions of Native peoples, their important history, present perseverance, and future. The NOAA Marine Debris Program is proud to work with indigenous communities in stewardship efforts that help to understand and reduce the impacts of marine debris. One such project, with the Makah Tribe, focused on the removal of derelict fishing gear within the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary, along the northwest corner of the Olympic Peninsula in Washington State and the Makah Tribe’s Usual and Accustomed Fishing Area.

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Tags Pacific Northwest removal derelict fishing gear

2021 Washington Marine Debris Action Plan Released neil.mccoy Wed, 10/06/2021 - 11:00

The NOAA Marine Debris Program is pleased to share the 2021 Washington Marine Debris Action Plan. This document is the result of a collaborative effort between the Marine Debris Program and federal and state governments, tribes, nongovernmental organizations, industry, and academia, and represents a partner-led effort to guide marine debris actions in Washington State for the next two years.

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Tags Pacific Northwest report

Lives and Livelihoods Disrupted by Marine Debris neil.mccoy Mon, 06/07/2021 - 11:00

For some, marine debris may simply be an unsightly inconvenience, but for many people around the world it is a critical problem that can affect all aspects of life. This is particularly true for indigenous communities, whose deep understanding of and reliance on the natural environment and ocean, for subsistence, cultural connection, recreation, and economic opportunities, makes them especially aware of the damaging effects of marine debris. Community regional expertise on the impacts of marine debris and nuanced relationships with the environment shape many NOAA Marine Debris Program-supported projects around the country.

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Tags Alaska Pacific Islands Pacific Northwest removal prevention

Rewriting the All Too Common Story of Abandoned and Derelict Vessels Shanelle.Naone Thu, 06/03/2021 - 11:00

Abandoned and derelict vessels are a common story and the all-too-common ending is that  marinas end up burdened with the responsibility for them. The longer they sit, the more they deteriorate, taking up valuable space and becoming a safety hazard. Despite the best of intentions, many boats can end up as abandoned and derelict vessels in our coastal, estuarine, and river environments. With the help of the NOAA Marine Debris Program removal grant and partnerships with marinas in the Certified Clean Marina Program, the Oregon State Marine Board hopes to interrupt this common narrative.

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Tags Pacific Northwest ADVs removal

Cascadia Cleanup: A Community Response to Marine Debris in the Pacific Northwest Shanelle.Naone Tue, 06/01/2021 - 11:00

The coastal waters of the Pacific Northwest are known for their combination of remote beauty and rich marine life, providing the foundation for multiple industries. This unique area spans over 4,400 miles of coastline and falls within the Cascadia bioregion. Despite all this natural beauty, lurking below the waves and along the rocky and sandy shores of Oregon and Washington a common issue can be found: marine debris. Thankfully, our partners in the Pacific Northwest are working hard every day to address marine debris through prevention, research, removal, and collaboration.

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Tags Pacific Northwest removal prevention

Partnering with Native Communities to Take On Marine Debris Shanelle.Naone Thu, 11/12/2020 - 10:00

Indigenous communities have a deep understanding of and relationship with the natural environment, which has fostered expert and nuanced traditional ecological knowledge, and shaped cultural practices and identity. NOAA recognizes the importance of indigenous peoples' traditional knowledge for understanding the environment, adapting to environmental change, and improving the health of environments that we all depend on. The Marine Debris Program (MDP) is proud to work with indigenous communities in Alaska and the Pacific Northwest to understand and reduce the impacts of marine debris through projects that prevent and remove marine debris. 

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Tags Pacific Northwest Alaska removal prevention