Types

Marine debris comes in all shapes and sizes. It can vary from large trawl nets, accidentally discarded or lost at sea, to plastic pieces smaller than a grain of rice that float throughout the water column.

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Microplastics found on a Lake Ontario beach.

Debris at Magee Wildlife Area near Oak Harbor, OH.

People organize marine debris into piles on the grass.

Bucket of microplastics (Photo: Sustainable Coastlines Hawaii).

Marine debris found on a sandy beach in Orange County California.

A person bends down on a beach to view derelict aquacuture gear that has been left on a beach.

Three people stand on a beach examining derelict crab pots that are resting in the sand.

A close up view of microplastics in a pile on a table.

Chair covered in barnacles and other growth.