From Reefs to Mangroves: Stopping the Surge of Debris in Florida and the Caribbean neil.mccoy Mon, 03/22/2021 - 11:00

Florida and the Caribbean likely bring to mind vacations full of beautiful, sandy beaches, coral reefs teeming with life, swaying palm trees, and picturesque sunsets. But a deeper dive reveals the tragic impacts of marine debris to our local wildlife, our fishing and tourism economies, and the health of our waters. From Plastic Reduction Challenges and Ghost Trap Rodeos to big coastal cleanups and hurricane debris removals, our newest partners in the region have already risen to the challenge and are working hard to implement creative solutions to remove debris and prevent it at the source.

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Tags Florida Caribbean

Food for Thought: Taking A Bite Out of Lunchroom Waste neil.mccoy Thu, 03/11/2021 - 11:00

School cafeterias offer students daily lunch choices, but school-provided meals can generate serious waste. Students in rural northeast Michigan took a closer look at their lunchroom waste as part of a “Food for Thought” project led by the Northeast Michigan Great Lakes Stewardship Initiative, the Community Foundation for Northeast Michigan, and Michigan State University Extension. They performed a lunch waste audit to investigate their lunchroom trash and to brainstorm solutions that prevent plastics from becoming marine debris in the Great Lakes ecosystem.

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Tags Great Lakes prevention education

Preventing Plastic in the Great Lakes neil.mccoy Tue, 03/09/2021 - 11:00

The Great Lakes region, with its complex habitats, is no stranger to environmental problems. Organizations have been working for many years to address issues like chemical contaminants, invasive species, and harmful algal blooms. Many of these same organizations, along with emerging leaders from local communities and schools, are now working on new waste awareness and prevention projects to tackle the problem of plastics!

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Tags Great Lakes prevention

Addressing and Combating the Impacts of Marine Debris on Birds in the Gulf of Maine neil.mccoy Wed, 02/24/2021 - 11:00

Marine debris is widely recognized as a threat to coastal and marine wildlife. In the Northeastern United States, however, the severity and magnitude of the impacts of marine debris on birds has not been well evaluated. With this in mind, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, which has regulatory responsibility for all listed bird species in the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and Endangered Species Act, aimed to conduct research to better understand the effects of marine debris on birds.

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Tags Northeast

No Signs of Stopping in the Northeast neil.mccoy Mon, 02/22/2021 - 11:00

The Northeast is home to rocky coastlines, sandflats and bays, migratory and residential protected species, and passionate fishing communities who dedicate their lives to their work in the marine environment. Our partners are working hard to keep the coast clean to conserve all that we love about New England, and have big plans for the new year!

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Students in Ohio - Get Ready for the Ohio Marine Debris Art Challenge! neil.mccoy Thu, 02/04/2021 - 11:00

In order to help raise awareness of the issue, we’re excited to be offering the Ohio Marine Debris Art Challenge for students in grades 6-12 in coastal Ohio! After learning about marine debris in the ocean and Great Lakes, and how we all may be contributing with our trash, students will create marine debris artwork from repurposed trash.

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Tags Great Lakes

New Monthly Webinar: Salvaging Solutions to Abandoned and Derelict Vessels neil.mccoy Wed, 02/03/2021 - 11:00

We are excited to announce our new monthly webinar series, Salvaging Solutions to Abandoned and Derelict Vessels. Every fourth Wednesday of the month at 3 pm ET, the webinar will feature experts on a topic related to abandoned and derelict vessels (ADVs), to share perspectives and solutions from across the country on common ADV issues.

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Tags ADVs removal

Community-Driven Activities Create a Strong Foundation for Successful Marine Debris Campaigns in Alaska Shanelle.Naone Tue, 11/24/2020 - 11:00

The Pribilof Islands are among the most unique and important places in the world. Three of the five islands making up the Pribilof Islands are uninhabited, but two of the largest islands, St. George and St. Paul Islands, host vibrant communities that are predominantly Unangax̂/Unangan. However, these communities have long shouldered the burdensome and overwhelming responsibility of removing tens of thousands of tons of debris, much of which originates far from the communities themselves. Because of the multitude of threats resulting from marine debris pollution that constantly accumulates on the coastlines of St. George and St. Paul, these communities have developed and expanded locally-driven marine debris prevention and removal efforts.

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Tags Alaska removal

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

Locations and Languages: Marine Debris Curricula and Resources from Near and Far NOAA Marine De… Wed, 08/05/2020 - 11:00

As students and teachers prepare for a new year of learning, we are sharing educational marine debris resources that highlight the problem in different locations and different languages. Marine debris is a constant and challenging threat to communities all over the world. It can travel on currents across the ocean, reach remote shorelines where very few people live, and cause major problems for both people and wildlife. No matter where you live, it's important for us all to understand the problem.

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Tags education Southeast Florida Pacific Islands Alaska Back to School Caribbean

Locations and Languages: Marine Debris Curricula and Resources from Near and Far NOAA Marine De… Wed, 08/05/2020 - 11:00

As students and teachers prepare for a new year of learning, we are sharing educational marine debris resources that highlight the problem in different locations and different languages. Marine debris is a constant and challenging threat to communities all over the world. It can travel on currents across the ocean, reach remote shorelines where very few people live, and cause major problems for both people and wildlife. No matter where you live, it's important for us all to understand the problem.

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Tags education Southeast Florida Pacific Islands Alaska Back to School Caribbean

Locations and Languages: Marine Debris Curricula and Resources from Near and Far NOAA Marine De… Wed, 08/05/2020 - 11:00

As students and teachers prepare for a new year of learning, we are sharing educational marine debris resources that highlight the problem in different locations and different languages. Marine debris is a constant and challenging threat to communities all over the world. It can travel on currents across the ocean, reach remote shorelines where very few people live, and cause major problems for both people and wildlife. No matter where you live, it's important for us all to understand the problem.

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Tags education Southeast Florida Pacific Islands Alaska Back to School Caribbean

Turtle Trash Collectors Goes Virtual! jennifer.simms Tue, 07/21/2020 - 10:51

Many things look different in our world right now: most people are working from home, our favorite restaurants and beaches are closed, and students finished off the school year online. So, where does that leave Turtle Trash Collectors, a University of North Carolina Wilmington MarineQuest outreach program funded by the NOAA Marine Debris Program?

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Tags prevention education Southeast

The Economic Benefits of Marine Debris Prevention and Removal jennifer.simms Tue, 07/07/2020 - 11:32

Marine debris can be dangerous for wildlife, damage sensitive habitats, and create safety and navigation hazards. But did you know that marine debris can also hurt the economies of coastal communities and decrease commercial fishing revenue? Marine debris can keep tourists away from beaches, compete with active fishing gear and reduce commercial catches, and cost small businesses money.

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Tags Great Lakes ghost fishing derelict fishing gear prevention removal Mid-Atlantic Alaska Southeast California Gulf of America

The Economic Benefits of Marine Debris Prevention and Removal jennifer.simms Tue, 07/07/2020 - 11:32

Marine debris can be dangerous for wildlife, damage sensitive habitats, and create safety and navigation hazards. But did you know that marine debris can also hurt the economies of coastal communities and decrease commercial fishing revenue? Marine debris can keep tourists away from beaches, compete with active fishing gear and reduce commercial catches, and cost small businesses money.

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Tags Great Lakes ghost fishing derelict fishing gear prevention removal Mid-Atlantic Alaska Southeast California Gulf of America

The Economic Benefits of Marine Debris Prevention and Removal jennifer.simms Tue, 07/07/2020 - 11:32

Marine debris can be dangerous for wildlife, damage sensitive habitats, and create safety and navigation hazards. But did you know that marine debris can also hurt the economies of coastal communities and decrease commercial fishing revenue? Marine debris can keep tourists away from beaches, compete with active fishing gear and reduce commercial catches, and cost small businesses money.

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Tags Great Lakes ghost fishing derelict fishing gear prevention removal Mid-Atlantic Alaska Southeast California Gulf of America

The Economic Benefits of Marine Debris Prevention and Removal jennifer.simms Tue, 07/07/2020 - 11:32

Marine debris can be dangerous for wildlife, damage sensitive habitats, and create safety and navigation hazards. But did you know that marine debris can also hurt the economies of coastal communities and decrease commercial fishing revenue? Marine debris can keep tourists away from beaches, compete with active fishing gear and reduce commercial catches, and cost small businesses money.

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Tags Great Lakes ghost fishing derelict fishing gear prevention removal Mid-Atlantic Alaska Southeast California Gulf of America

Bringing Back the Turtles in Biscayne Bay Florida jennifer.simms Mon, 06/15/2020 - 09:32

Sea turtles are well adapted to life in the ocean and live in tropical and subtropical ocean waters around the world. Major threats to sea turtles in the United States include damage to their habitats, accidental capture during fishing, and getting tangled in or ingesting marine debris. The NOAA Marine Debris Program collaborates with partners to protect sea turtles by removing marine debris from shorelines.

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Tags Florida removal endangered species

Delaware Marine Debris Emergency Response Guide: A New Comprehensive Guide for the State jennifer.simms Mon, 06/15/2020 - 09:25

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Marine Debris Program is pleased to release the “Delaware Marine Debris Emergency Response Guide: Comprehensive Guidance Document”. The Guide is a product of a collaborative process with state, local, and federal agencies.

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Delaware Marine Debris Emergency Response Guide: A New Comprehensive Guide for the State jennifer.simms Mon, 06/15/2020 - 09:25

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Marine Debris Program is pleased to release the “Delaware Marine Debris Emergency Response Guide: Comprehensive Guidance Document”. The Guide is a product of a collaborative process with state, local, and federal agencies.

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Tags Mid-Atlantic emergency response