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

Home is Where the Ocean is Healthy: A Community-based Approach to Addressing Marine Debris Posted Thu, 05/27/2021 - 11:00

Located in the middle of the North Pacific Ocean, the Hawaiian Archipelago is surrounded by thousands of miles of vast blue ocean. Hawai‘i’s crystal clear waters and landscapes are home to over 9,000 endemic species, making it one of the most biodiverse regions on the planet. Hawai`i’s marine animals face increasing threats from human activities and Hawaii Marine Animal Response works daily with NOAA, the State of Hawaii, and other partners to conserve protected marine animals and reduce threats to their survival.

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Tags Pacific Islands removal

Report on Reducing Shotgun Wad Debris in San Francisco Bay Now Available Shanelle.Naone Tue, 05/25/2021 - 14:00

Consistent shoreline monitoring and data gathering efforts are essential to understanding local marine debris issues, how they change over time, and what types of debris are most common. Between 2012 and 2018, monthly marine debris monitoring surveys were conducted at six Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary beaches, located on the North-Central California Coast near San Francisco, and identified shotgun wads as one of the four most commonly found plastic items across all surveyed sites. A project to reduce plastic shotgun wad debris from entering San Francisco Bay and depositing onto coastal beaches was carried out and is documented in the report, “A Behavior Change Campaign to Reduce Plastic Shotgun Wad Debris on the North-Central California Coast.”

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Protecting the Pacific Through Resiliency and Creativity Posted Mon, 05/24/2021 - 11:00

The Pacific Ocean’s vast size and resources have brought those who call it home great abundance and a high level of resiliency. Today, these island communities rely on their resiliency to confront the issue of marine debris in an effort to protect the Pacific. Using community-based and creative approaches, dedicated organizations in the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and Hawai‘i are working to protect and restore marine habitats, prevent marine debris through product research and design, and mitigate the effects of derelict fishing gear on endangered and threatened species with the support of the NOAA Marine Debris Program. 

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2021 Mid-Atlantic Marine Debris Action Plan Released neil.mccoy Thu, 05/20/2021 - 11:00

The NOAA Marine Debris Program is pleased to share the 2021 Mid-Atlantic Marine Debris Action Plan. This document is the result of a collaborative effort between the Marine Debris Program and local, state, and federal governments, nonprofits, industry, and academic institutions, and represents a partner-led effort to guide marine debris actions in the Mid-Atlantic for the next five years.

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2021 Mid-Atlantic Marine Debris Action Plan Released neil.mccoy Thu, 05/20/2021 - 11:00

The NOAA Marine Debris Program is pleased to share the 2021 Mid-Atlantic Marine Debris Action Plan. This document is the result of a collaborative effort between the Marine Debris Program and local, state, and federal governments, nonprofits, industry, and academic institutions, and represents a partner-led effort to guide marine debris actions in the Mid-Atlantic for the next five years.

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Awaiting Rescue in Delaware – Recovering Derelict Crab Pots from Delaware’s Inland Bays neil.mccoy Tue, 05/18/2021 - 11:00

Up to 20,000 pots from Delaware’s recreational blue crab fishery may sit on the murky bottom of Delaware’s Inland Bays, getting swept around by the currents and mired in the mud. There, they await rescue – inadvertently scraping across the bottom, getting in the way of boats, and continuing to ghost fish by trapping crabs, fish, and other wildlife. A new project, led by the University of Delaware and Delaware Sea Grant, is using side-scan and live sonar to identify and recover derelict crab pots lost and abandoned in Delaware’s Indian River Bay.

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Tags Mid-Atlantic removal derelict crab pots derelict fishing gear

Awaiting Rescue in Delaware – Recovering Derelict Crab Pots from Delaware’s Inland Bays neil.mccoy Tue, 05/18/2021 - 11:00

Up to 20,000 pots from Delaware’s recreational blue crab fishery may sit on the murky bottom of Delaware’s Inland Bays, getting swept around by the currents and mired in the mud. There, they await rescue – inadvertently scraping across the bottom, getting in the way of boats, and continuing to ghost fish by trapping crabs, fish, and other wildlife. A new project, led by the University of Delaware and Delaware Sea Grant, is using side-scan and live sonar to identify and recover derelict crab pots lost and abandoned in Delaware’s Indian River Bay.

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Tags Mid-Atlantic removal derelict crab pots derelict fishing gear

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

The Mid-Atlantic region is home to varied 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

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

The Mid-Atlantic region is home to varied 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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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