Tackling Marine Debris in Florida and the Caribbean

5 years 3 months ago
Tackling Marine Debris in Florida and the Caribbean alexis.thorbecke Tue, 02/19/2019 - 09:16

Many people think of Florida and the Caribbean islands as vacation destinations. Warm sun, beautiful beaches, and clear waters attract people from all over the world. Some people are even lucky enough to live in these places all year round. Locals want to protect their stunning beaches and natural resources from the hazard of marine debris. The two newest Marine Debris Program projects in this region focus on getting the residents of the Sunshine State involved in making a difference when it comes to marine debris on their community.

Tags Florida Caribbean
alexis.thorbecke

2018 Marine Debris Action Plan Released

5 years 3 months ago
2018 Marine Debris Action Plan Released Posted Thu, 01/31/2019 - 09:08

The NOAA Marine Debris Program is pleased to share the fifth and final update to the current 10-year Hawai‘i Marine Debris Action Plan. This document is the result of a productive and collaborative effort between the NOAA Marine Debris Program and regional partners, including representatives from governments, non-profits, academia, and the private sector.

Tags Pacific Islands
alexis.thorbecke

Disposal Challenges in the Bering Sea

5 years 4 months ago
Disposal Challenges in the Bering Sea Posted Fri, 12/21/2018 - 09:31

Today is the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. For Unalakleet, on Alaska’s Bering Sea coast, this means barely more than four hours of sunlight. The small, remote communities that dot Alaska’s coastline and Bering Sea islands can be as harsh as they are beautiful. The Marine Debris Program has partners in these regions that are hardy and hard-working, but marine debris can still be a huge challenge. The remoteness of these places and the severe weather means that disposing of the debris is one of the biggest issues. We talked to partners in three Bering Sea communities about what happens to the debris once it’s removed from the ocean and shoreline.

Tags Alaska
alexis.thorbecke

Texas Marine Debris Emergency Response Guide: A New Comprehensive Guide for the State

5 years 5 months ago
Texas Marine Debris Emergency Response Guide: A New Comprehensive Guide for the State Posted Tue, 12/18/2018 - 08:33

The Marine Debris Program is pleased to release the Texas Marine Debris Emergency Response Guide: Comprehensive Guidance Document, the final emergency response guide for the Gulf of Mexico states. The Texas Guide is a product of a collaborative process with local, state, and federal agencies.  The Guide aims to improve preparedness for response and recovery operations following an acute waterway debris incident in coastal Texas.

Tags Gulf of Mexico
alexis.thorbecke

NOAA Marine Debris Awards Funding to Clean up Marine Debris in 2017 Hurricane-Affected Areas

5 years 6 months ago
NOAA Marine Debris Awards Funding to Clean up Marine Debris in 2017 Hurricane-Affected Areas Posted Fri, 11/16/2018 - 10:09

With financial support from NOAA’s Marine Debris Program, coastal states and territories impacted by Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria received $17.2M in disaster relief funding to assess, removal, and dispose of hurricane related marine debris.

Tags Florida & the Caribbean Southeast Gulf of Mexico emergency response
alexis.thorbecke

NOAA Marine Debris Awards Funding to Clean up Marine Debris in 2017 Hurricane-Affected Areas

5 years 6 months ago
NOAA Marine Debris Awards Funding to Clean up Marine Debris in 2017 Hurricane-Affected Areas Posted Fri, 11/16/2018 - 10:09

With financial support from NOAA’s Marine Debris Program, coastal states and territories impacted by Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria received $17.2M in disaster relief funding to assess, removal, and dispose of hurricane related marine debris.

Tags Florida & the Caribbean Southeast Gulf of Mexico emergency response
alexis.thorbecke

Marine Debris Team Takes on Tons

5 years 6 months ago
Marine Debris Team Takes on Tons alexis.thorbecke Fri, 11/09/2018 - 09:38

How do you pull an entire space shuttle’s weight in marine debris out of one of the most remote parts of the ocean? The answer is teamwork. Last week, on October 29th, a mission ended to remove debris, mostly lost fishing nets, from the uninhabited Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. These lost nets are a huge entanglement risk to marine life and damage critical habitat. The three part mission involved two ships, five NOAA offices, and many more! Learn more about their journey and how they worked together to remove over 82 tons of debris from the these culturally and ecologically significant islands. 

Tags Pacific Islands NWHI
alexis.thorbecke