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.

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Tags Large Scale Marine Debris Removal MDP 20 Years removal

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.

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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.

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Tags emergency response MDP 20 Years

Local Action For A National Problem madison.piascik Tue, 09/08/2026 - 14:37

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.

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Surveying Debris on Our Shores madison.piascik Wed, 08/19/2026 - 15:56

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.

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Tags MDP 20 Years shoreline monitoring monitoring MDMAP

Protecting the Living Waters of the Channel Islands from Marine Debris madison.piascik Tue, 07/07/2026 - 11:08

Channel Islands National Park and Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary protect some of California’s richest coastal and marine habitats. Keeping these remote islands and surrounding waters free of marine debris requires extensive collaboration among volunteers, conservation organizations, and local lobster fishers who help recover debris from difficult-to-access shorelines. With support from a 2023 award from the NOAA Marine Debris Program, the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation is working with Santa Barbara Channelkeeper, Island Packers, Commercial Fishermen of Santa Barbara, California State University Channel Islands Santa Rosa Island Research Station, and other regional groups to remove large and hard-to-reach marine debris from the Channel Islands. Volunteer cleanup crews have removed over 18,168 pounds of large debris, including lost fishing gear, from the islands so far. More than 150 volunteers have contributed to over 10 cleanups across Santa Rosa, Santa Cruz, and Anacapa Islands.

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Tags MDP 20 Years Large Scale Marine Debris Removal removal California

Many Hands Make Light Work: 20 Years of Working Together for a Debris-Free Future madison.piascik Thu, 06/25/2026 - 14:01

Twenty years ago, the NOAA Marine Debris Program was established as the U.S. Government’s lead to reduce and prevent the adverse impacts of marine debris on our ocean and Great Lakes. Jason Philibotte, Director of the NOAA Marine Debris Program, reflects on the experiences that inspired his commitment to addressing marine debris and the partnerships that advanced solutions over the past 20 years. He looks back on the program's accomplishments, shares lessons learned from witnessing marine debris impacts firsthand, and considers the work still ahead.

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