For Adults and Professionals

Learn more about how marine debris impacts fishing, boating, and recreation.

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For Educators

For Students

For Kids and Families

Learn More About Marine Debris
What is marine debris? Where does it come from? How does it affect our ocean and waterways? Find the answers to these and all your marine debris questions here.

The Economic Impacts of Marine Debris on Tourism-Dependent Communities

Take a look at how the amount of marine debris on beaches can affect the behaviors of beachgoers and as a result, the economies of coastal communities that depend on tourism.

The Marine Debris Act

Get to know the legislation and policy that makes the NOAA Marine Debris Program’s work possible.

Garbage Patches

What and where are garbage patches, anyway? Find out more about this important marine debris topic.
Fishers & Boaters
Whatever gets you out on the water, we have resources to help you stay safe and help keep our sea free of debris.

Salvaging Solutions to Abandoned and Derelict Vessels Webinar Series

Welcome to the NOAA Marine Debris Program’s online webinar series, Salvaging Solutions to Abandoned and Derelict Vessels! Each month’s webinar features experts on a topic related to abandoned and derelict vessels.
Emergency Response
Learn all about the NOAA Marine Debris Program's efforts to coordinate and facilitate response to emergencies and natural disasters, from storms to tsunamis.

Emergency Response

Marine debris is an everyday problem, but natural disasters have the potential to make it worse. To mitigate these impacts, the NOAA Marine Debris Program is facilitating response planning efforts in coastal states.

Response Guides

Emergency Response Guides provide specific direction for coordinating local, state, and federal response to acute marine debris events.

National Ocean Service Hurricane Planning and Response

Learn about hurricanes and explore our roles and responsibilities related to hurricane preparedness, response, and recovery with this resource collection from the National Ocean Service.

Storm Preparedness & Marine Debris Fact Sheet

This document (also available in Spanish) runs through some basic steps to prepare for storms and prevent your property from becoming marine debris.
Taking Action on Marine Debris
Marine debris is a human-caused problem, but it also has human solutions. Those solutions can start with you! Learn more about things you can do to keep our sea free of debris.

Regional Action Plans

Action Plans provide a strategic framework for partners across a specific state or region to address the problem of marine debris.

Marine Debris Clearinghouse

Look here to find completed and in-progress projects and their results based on different project information, including location, project type, time frame, partner, or debris type.
Additional Resources
Looking for more? Explore these additional resources for adults and professionals.

Marine Debris Blog

Here you can learn about all things marine debris! Our blog promotes the work of our dedicated partners, announces new marine debris products and events, and shares information on how you can help.

2021-2025 Strategic Plan

The fiscal year 2021-2025 Strategic Plan highlights how the MDP will work with dedicated staff and partners to make a measurable change toward reaching our vision: the global ocean and its coasts free from the impacts of marine debris.