Mobilizing Against Marine Debris in the Mid-Atlantic Region neil.mccoy Mon, 05/17/2021 - 11:00

The Mid-Atlantic region is home to diverse industries, large urban cities, and beaches popular for tourism. Our partners are working hard to keep the coast clean to conserve all that we love about the Mid-Atlantic. Seven prevention and removal projects supported by the NOAA Marine Debris Program are currently underway in the Mid-Atlantic, spanning issues from single-use plastics and consumer debris, to abandoned and derelict fishing gear and vessels.

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Tags Mid-Atlantic prevention removal

Hurricane Debris Prevention and Preparedness in Puerto Rico: A Girls in Sciences Project neil.mccoy Wed, 05/12/2021 - 11:00

Club Marina is a group of high school females interested in environmental science in Puerto Rico who are committed to protecting the environment. In an effort to educate and raise awareness about the dangers of marine debris, they’ve been hard at work creating videos about hurricanes and debris in Puerto Rico. In this series of Spanish videos, viewers have the opportunity to understand more about preventing marine debris, hurricane preparedness, and debris management.

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Tags Caribbean

Reduction of Ghost Fishing from Derelict Blue Crab Traps on the Mid-Texas Coast neil.mccoy Wed, 05/05/2021 - 11:00

Most of us in coastal communities know the term “ghost fishing” and why it is bad, but to get a handle on the problem here in the Texas Mid-Coast area local scientists are diving deeper into the issue by looking for the root causes of the problem. The Coastal Bend Bays & Estuaries Program, with funding from a NOAA Marine Debris Program removal grant, is expanding efforts to remove derelict traps and gather standardized data that can be used to better assess the ecological and economic impacts and help identify the causes of trap abandonment.

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Tags Gulf of Mexico removal derelict crab pots derelict fishing gear

Addressing Marine Debris Issues Across the Gulf of Mexico neil.mccoy Tue, 05/04/2021 - 11:00

The Gulf of Mexico’s coastal habitats are a treasure trove of biological diversity and unique ecosystems. They’re also a vital resource for coastal economies, industries, and communities, and are impacted by human activity in many ways. One ongoing challenge in the Gulf of Mexico region is the problem of marine debris. From local litter and abandoned fishing gear, to restaurant waste and debris dams, marine debris in the Gulf States is a complex issue. Fortunately, our partners in the region are up for the challenge and are leading efforts to prevent and remove debris across the Gulf.

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Tags Gulf of Mexico prevention removal

Preventing Marine Debris One Cool Earth Strategy at a Time neil.mccoy Thu, 04/29/2021 - 11:00

Students, teachers, and school administrators all have their own parts to play in the vision of One Cool Earth’s Earth Genius marine debris education program in San Luis Obispo, California. This unique educational program partners with schools to incorporate marine debris education, practices, and principles throughout public school systems, from classrooms and cafeterias to school facilities and administration.

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Preventing Marine Debris One Cool Earth Strategy at a Time neil.mccoy Thu, 04/29/2021 - 11:00

Students, teachers, and school administrators all have their own parts to play in the vision of One Cool Earth’s Earth Genius marine debris education program in San Luis Obispo, California. This unique educational program partners with schools to incorporate marine debris education, practices, and principles throughout public school systems, from classrooms and cafeterias to school facilities and administration.

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Tags California prevention education

California Dreams Become Reality Posted Tue, 04/27/2021 - 11:00

There’s an old saying that good things come in threes. This holds true for many things, including the fight against marine debris. Strategies to address this issue can be divided into three approaches: 1) reduce waste right at the source, 2) collect trash before it gets into the water, and 3) clean up trash from our shorelines. In California, innovative ways to tackle the issue of waste in our waterways fall within each of these categories, helping to make dreams of cleaner beaches a reality.

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Dive into Citizen Science to Tackle Marine Debris neil.mccoy Tue, 04/20/2021 - 11:00

One of the best things about citizen science is the opportunity to get involved with your local community while making a difference on a broad scale. There are so many impactful projects you can take part in as a citizen scientist, whether you are looking for a long-term commitment to keep a local shoreline clean or want to make a positive impact when doing things you love. Check out these ways to get started.

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Dive into Citizen Science to Tackle Marine Debris neil.mccoy Tue, 04/20/2021 - 11:00

One of the best things about citizen science is the opportunity to get involved with your local community while making a difference on a broad scale. There are so many impactful projects you can take part in as a citizen scientist, whether you are looking for a long-term commitment to keep a local shoreline clean or want to make a positive impact when doing things you love. Check out these ways to get started.

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Using Citizen Science to Understand Marine Debris neil.mccoy Thu, 04/08/2021 - 11:00

Spring is here! As the temperatures increase and weather improves, many of us are drawn to the outdoors. But what if your trip to the beach could be more than just an enjoyable day? What if you could do scientific research at the same time as a citizen scientist? Opportunities for the public most often come in the form of data collection, but they can also include providing input on questions to investigate, participating in study design, or interpreting and sharing results. Several projects funded through the NOAA Marine Debris Program have tapped into this community resource as well, and committed stewards around the country have contributed invaluable data to monitoring and research projects that support our vision of a sea free of debris.

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Tags Citizen Science education microplastics MDMAP monitoring

Using Citizen Science to Understand Marine Debris neil.mccoy Thu, 04/08/2021 - 11:00

Spring is here! As the temperatures increase and weather improves, many of us are drawn to the outdoors. But what if your trip to the beach could be more than just an enjoyable day? What if you could do scientific research at the same time as a citizen scientist? Opportunities for the public most often come in the form of data collection, but they can also include providing input on questions to investigate, participating in study design, or interpreting and sharing results. Several projects funded through the NOAA Marine Debris Program have tapped into this community resource as well, and committed stewards around the country have contributed invaluable data to monitoring and research projects that support our vision of a sea free of debris.

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Tags Citizen Science education microplastics MDMAP

The Tide is Turning on Marine Debris in the U.S. Virgin Islands neil.mccoy Thu, 03/25/2021 - 11:00

An island in the middle of the Caribbean Sea is an idyllic place to live and visit, but islands can be particularly vulnerable to marine debris. The effects of marine debris can be seen in everyday life in the U.S. Virgin Islands, from the visible debris on our beaches, to the economic toll that it can take on our tourism industry. To help address the issue, the University of the Virgin Islands is leading efforts to remove marine debris from sensitive mangrove habitats and coordinate action with stakeholders across the territory.

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Tags removal Caribbean