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Making repeated measurements or observations about marine debris is an important way to understand the problem at regional and local scales. Monitoring helps us understand the amount, types, and sources of marine debris that are most common, where it accumulates, and if it is changing over time. Information collected from repeated surveys can be used to set targets for prevention and mitigation, and to measure success in reaching those targets.
The NOAA Marine Debris Program launched the Marine Debris Monitoring and Assessment Project (MDMAP) in 2012 as NOAA’s first shoreline monitoring initiative. The MDMAP documents macro-sized marine debris (roughly the size of a bottle cap or larger) on shorelines and functions as a network of partnering organizations and volunteers who contribute their data to form a bigger picture of the issue. Anyone can get involved!
On the go? There are many different ways you can collect information about marine debris and litter in your community! Another popular way to document debris is by using apps that are designed to record counts of debris items on your phone. Check out some of the apps supported by the NOAA Marine Debris Program’s current and previous partnerships.
For citation purposes, unless otherwise noted, this article was authored by the NOAA Marine Debris Program.
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