Reducing Marine Debris Impacts to Lake Erie Fishery Habitat

Partners for Clean Streams removed marine debris from the Maumee River and other tributaries and rivers in the greater Toledo, Ohio area. 

Type of Project: Removal

Region: Great Lakes

Project Dates: August 2018 - January 2021

Who was involved?

With the support of the NOAA Marine Debris Program, Partners for Clean Streams , community partners, and volunteers removed marine debris from the Maumee River and other tributaries and rivers in the greater Toledo, Ohio area.

What was the project and why is it important?

The Maumee River and Maumee Bay in Lake Erie includes valuable in-water and nearshore habitat to sustain important recreational and commercial fish species, such as the walleye, white bass, and yellow perch. Key fish spawning areas can be negatively affected by marine debris due to entanglement, ingestion, disturbance, and other hazards. By removing debris, this project prevented negative impacts to these valuable fishery habitats and improved the health of the freshwater ecosystem.

Partners for Clean Streams worked to remove marine debris around Toledo, Ohio. Working closely with partners, Partners for Clean Streams detected, assessed, and coordinated removed marine debris around Toledo, Ohio through their “Clean Your Streams” initiatives.

They also led a robust marine debris prevention and education effort. The team developed a marine debris tip card, about Great Lakes marine debris and distributed it at cleanups and outreach events. Additionally, project partners worked closely with the Toledo Road Runners, a large running club, to assist them with reducing the impact of the Glass City Marathon and other organized runs. 

What were the results? 

Partners for Clean Streams organized and conducted 138 cleanups during the project. During these cleanups 1,600 volunteers removed a total of 40,776 pounds of marine debris along 60 miles of riverfront. Approximately 13,990 pounds of debris was recycled. During the project, partners hosted two Clean Your Streams days, planned paddle cleanups with local partners, organized small cleanups, and adapted outreach for the Clean Your Streams 365 program to encourage personal or family-based cleanups year-round.

For more information about this project, visit the Marine Debris Program Clearinghouse.