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Marine Debris Program
Office of Response and Restoration
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

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  • Home
  • Who We Are
    • Who We Are
    • The Marine Debris Act
    • Marine Debris Foundation
    • Contact Us
  • Discover Marine Debris
    • Discover Marine Debris
    • What is Marine Debris?
    • Where Does Marine Debris Come From?
    • Why is Marine Debris a Problem?
    • How to Help
    • Garbage Patches
    • Regional Emmy® Award-Winning TRASH TALK
    • The Mystery of How Long Until It’s Gone
  • Our Work
    • Our Work
    • Prevention
      • A Community Approach to Reducing Single-Use Plastic Beverage Bottles
      • A Cross-Border Collaborative: Marine Debris Solutions Across the U.S. and Mexico
      • A Decade of Data to Combat Derelict Traps in Florida
      • A Rising Concern: Reducing Balloon Debris through Social Marketing
      • A State-wide, Multi-partners Campaign to Reduce Single-use Plastic in Oregon
      • A Whale of a Tale: Hands-on Learning about Marine Debris Impacts on Wildlife
      • A Youth Lead Project: Reducing Plastic Waste in the Duwamish Valley
      • Addressing Barriers to Reducing Plastic Marine Debris in Cleveland, Ohio
      • Aventureros Averting Plastics for a Better Baja
      • Avoid, Intercept, and Redesign: A Marine Debris Prevention Initiative in Hawai‘i
      • Banding Together to Prevent Plastic Packing Band Pollution in the Bering Sea
      • Building a Fiberglass Boat Recycling Program
      • California Teachers Bring Home Lessons on Plastic Marine Debris
      • Changing Littering Behavior through Student Leadership and Peer Mentorship
      • Changing Perceptions of Independence Day Debris in Oregon
      • Chicago-area Restaurants Tackle Plastic Pollution
      • Citizen Scientists Research and Prevent Microplastics in Florida
      • Combating Land-Based Marine Debris from the Rio Grande Valley
      • Creating a Social Norm: A Student-Designed Program to Reduce Marine Debris
      • Developing Marine Debris Curriculum in Oregon
      • Educating Fishers to Reduce Derelict Gear in Massachusetts
      • Educating Recreational Boaters and Improving Crab Trap Float Riggings to Reduce Derelict Fishing Gear
      • Education and Action: A One-Two Punch for Reducing Marine Debris on the Washington Coast
      • Empowering Ocean Stewards Through the Ocean Guardian Schools Program
      • Empowering Students to Prevent Marine Debris in the Long Island Sound Watershed
      • Enhancing Marine Debris Prevention and Removal Across O‘ahu Coastlines
      • Estimating Abundance of Derelict Lobster Pots in New England Using Side-Scan Sonar
      • Expanding Nurdle Patrol Monitoring in the Gulf of America
      • Fishing for Energy Supports New Derelict Gear Innovation Projects
      • From Shore to State House
      • Full Cycle Reusable Takeout Container Program in O‘ahu
      • Great Lakes Circular Economy Partnership and Plastics Cleanup
      • Gyre: The Plastic Ocean Exhibit
      • Hands-On Marine Debris Education in the Gulf of Maine
      • Hawai'i Nets to Energy Program
      • Hawaii State Parks Water Bottle Filling Station Project
      • Hold on to Your Butt Cigarette Litter Prevention Project
      • Hudson Estuary Litter Prevention (HELP): Marine Debris Education and Prevention in New York City
      • Implementing Alternatives to Plastic Food Packaging in American Samoa
      • Inspire Keiki to Reduce their Local Marine Debris Footprint
      • Inspiring Community Stewardship on Oahu
      • Lower Laguna Madre Bilingual Marine Debris Awareness
      • Marine Debris Education in Santa Barbara Propels Ocean Stewardship
      • Marine Debris Prevention through Science Literacy
      • Mystic Aquarium: Teens Take Initiative
      • No Silver Bullet: Shotgun Wad Debris Prevention at Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary
      • Plastic Free Gulf Coast, Helping Restaurants Reduce Plastic Waste
      • Preventing Debris and Crab Trap Loss in New Jersey with the WeCrab Project
      • Preventing Debris with the Washed Ashore Project
      • Preventing Derelict Nets and Crab Pots in the Puget Sound through Targeted Outreach Programs
      • Preventing Marine Debris on the North Slope of Alaska
      • Preventing Marine Debris with Bio-based Packaging and Community Composting in Alaska
      • Preventing Plastic Marine Debris in the Great Lakes
      • Pride in Our Seas, Pride in Ourselves: Preventing Land-Based Sources of Marine Debris in the U.S. Virgin Islands
      • Project SORT: Hands on Marine Debris Education in the Southeast
      • Promoting Community Leadership in Baltimore to Prevent Urban Debris
      • Promoting Marine Debris Prevention through the Earth Genius Program in California
      • Protectores de Cuencas "Think Before you Drop it"
      • ReThink Disposable: Preventing Marine Debris at the Source
      • Reduce the Use of Single-Use Plastics in Mobile
      • Reducing Balloon Litter Through Education and Outreach with the Joyful Send-off Campaign
      • Reducing Barriers to Preventing Marine Debris in Texas Recreational Fisheries
      • Reducing Marine Debris by Targeting Youth and Teenage Litterers
      • Reducing Marine Debris in the Lower Tijuana River Watershed
      • Reducing Plastic Use Among Commuters and CoastSmart Restaurants
      • Reducing Waste at Aquariums Across the United States
      • Regional Collaboration to Address Marine Debris in the Gulf of Maine
      • Riding the Wave of Plastic: Student-Driven Marine Debris Prevention
      • Salinas River to the Sea Litter Program
      • Salt Marsh Soldiers Tackle Marine Debris in Coastal Georgia
      • Ship Island Excursion South Mississippi Education and Waste Reduction
      • Stewards Targeting Ocean Problems (S.T.O.P): Zero Waste and Awareness Campaign on the Kenai Peninsula and Anchorage, Alaska
      • Stopping Marine Debris at its Source from Coast to Coast
      • Tackling Ghost Nets in Lake Superior
      • Taking a Bite Out of Lunchroom Waste in Northeast Michigan
      • Taking it to the Streets: Urban Neighborhood Trash Monitoring and Education
      • Talking Trash and Taking Action on Marine Debris
      • Talking Trash for Clean Oceans
      • Talking with our Tourists: A Marine Debris Awareness Initiative
      • The Butt of a Joke: Using Humor in Social Media Messages to Motivate Proper Cigarette Butt Disposal
      • The Play's the Thing: Using Drama to Prevent Marine Debris
      • The Sea Around Us: Reducing Single-use Plastic Consumption on a Coastal College Campus
      • The Zero Litter Campaign
      • Tobacco-Free Beaches Public Awareness Campaign
      • Trash Pollution Solutions: A Community-Based Approach for Baltimore City
      • UNCW MarineQuest Turtle Trash Collectors
      • USF Empowers a Community to Prevent Marine Debris
      • Watershed Approach in Erie, Pennsylvania, to Rid the Seas of Marine Debris
      • What's S.U.P.? (Single-Use Plastics): Youth and Community Creating Change
      • Working with Students Towards Sustainable Campuses
    • Removal
      • A Community Approach to Addressing and Preventing Derelict Recreational Fishing Gear
      • Abandoned Vessel Removal Assistance Initiative in Oregon
      • Accelerating Removal of Derelict Crab Traps Plaguing Coastal Louisiana
      • AquaDebris: Site Restoration and Habitat Recovery Assessment of Shellfish Aquaculture in North Carolina
      • Assessing and Removing Derelict Crab Pots from a Recreational Fishery in Delaware
      • Bi-State Effort to Address and Remove Abandoned and Derelict Vessel Removals in the Hudson River Estuary
      • Bounty for Derelict Fishing Gear in Hawai‘i
      • Building Partnerships and Removing Marine Debris in the Pacific Islands
      • Cape May and Beyond: Ghost Crab Pot Removal in the Delaware Bay, Cape May Reef, and Southern Coastal New Jersey Bays
      • Capturing Debris in Florida Aquatic Preserves through Operation TRAP
      • Casting a Wide Net: A Community Approach on Marine Debris in the Niagara River Watershed
      • Central Long Island Sound Derelict Lobster Gear Assessment, Removal, and Prevention
      • Cleaning Up Tire Debris from Florida's Gulf Coast
      • Cleaning up Richardson Bay One Vessel at a Time
      • Cleaning up after a typhoon in Tinian and Saipan
      • Cleanup and Retrieval of Derelict Crab Pots in Gastineau Channel
      • Cleanup, Recycling, and Recovery on the Alaska Peninsula
      • Collaborating Across Borders: The North American Net Collection Initiative
      • Collaborating to Remove Derelict Fishing Gear in the U.S. Caribbean
      • Collaboratively Addressing Derelict Vessels and Large Debris in the Anacostia River
      • Communities Work to Remove Marine Debris on the Pribilof Islands of Alaska
      • Cultivating Santa Barbara Channel Stewards
      • Debris Removal and Capacity Building Through a Regional Center for Marine Debris in Alaska
      • Debris Removal at Cleveland Metroparks Euclid Beach Park
      • Debris Removal in Beaufort Harbor and the N.C. National Estuarine Research Reserve
      • Debris Removal to Establish Living Shoreline in Camden, NJ
      • Derelict Crab Pot Removal and Outreach in Washington's Salish Sea
      • Derelict Crab Pot Removal and Prevention in Skagit County, Washington
      • Derelict Crab Trap Removal in the Barataria, Terrebonne, and Pontchartrain Basins
      • Derelict Fishing Gear Removal in the Caribbean
      • Derelict Vessel Removal and Habitat Restoration in Bayou La Batre
      • Dog River Derelict Vessel Removal
      • Fishing for Derelict Lobster Gear in Cape Cod and Massachusetts Bays
      • Fordson Island Removal Project
      • Galveston Bay Habitat Enhancement through Marine Debris Removal
      • Goal: Clean Seas Florida Keys
      • Grappling the Invisible: Removing Derelict Crab Pots from the Delaware Bay
      • Guam Cocos Lagoon Abandoned Tire Reef Removal
      • Hawai‘i Large Debris Recovery Partnership
      • Hawai‘i Nei Marine Debris Removal Partnership
      • Hotspot Debris Removal from the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary
      • Hurricane Florence Vessel Removal in North Carolina
      • Hurricane Michael Debris Assessment and Removal in the City of Mexico Beach
      • Identification and Retrieval of Derelict Crab Pots to Reduce Bycatch in Barnegat Bay, New Jersey: Phase II
      • Implementing Trash Traps to Remove Litter in the Anacostia River Watershed in Maryland
      • Implementing a Recycling System in Monterrey, Mexico
      • Improving Critical Habitats in the Channel Islands
      • Improving Infrastructure and Capturing Debris in San Diego
      • Incentivizing Marine Debris Removal with Commercial Fishers in Mississippi
      • Increasing the Efficiency of Locating and Removing Ghost Nets in the Upper Great Lakes
      • Intercepting Trash in Houston Waterways to Protect Texas’ Galveston Bay
      • Intercepting Urban Stormwater Debris in the Great Lakes Watershed
      • Intercepting and Preventing Marine Debris in the Waterways of Savannah, Georgia
      • Kodiak Marine Debris Removal & Monitoring Project
      • Leading Derelict Fishing Gear Removal Efforts in Washington
      • Makah Tribe Derelict Crab Gear Removal Project
      • Making a Plan: Removal and Awareness of Marine Debris in Coastal Puerto Rico
      • Marine Debris Cleanup from Hurricane Florence in Southeastern North Carolina
      • Marine Debris Prevention and Removal in Yakutat, Alaska
      • Marine Debris Removal and Monitoring in the Lower Pascagoula River
      • Marine Debris Removal and Outreach in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula
      • Marine Debris Removal from Maine Seabird-Nesting Islands and Surrounding Waters
      • Marine Debris Removal in Jamaica Bay Salt Marshes
      • Marine Debris Removal in Washington’s Long Beach Peninsula
      • Marine Debris Removal in the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument
        • Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument Marine Debris Removal Project Has a Long History and Big Results
        • The Cultural and Ecological Significance of the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument
      • Marine Mammal Entanglement Prevention and Habitat Restoration in Alaska
      • Mobilizing Stakeholders to Remove Derelict Fishing Gear from Beaches & Bay
      • Moving Toward a Litter-free Mardi Gras in Alabama
      • Multi-Island Marine Debris Removal in the State of Hawaii
      • Native Community Marine Debris Removal from Bering Sea Shorelines
      • Next Generation Marine Debris Removal: Pairing Emerging Leaders and Technology for Restoration Success
      • Northwest Straits Initiative Puget Sound Derelict Net Removal
      • Out of Sight, Out of Mind: Removing Marine Debris in U.S. Virgin Island Cays and Mangroves
      • Partnering with Fishers to Remove Derelict Fishing Gear in the Gulf of Maine
      • Plastic Marine Debris Clean Up, Recycling, and Recovery in Southeast Alaska
      • Recovering Large Debris and Expanding Industry Stewardship in New Jersey
      • Reducing Ghost Fishing from Derelict Blue Crab Traps on the Mid-Texas Coast
      • Reducing Marine Debris Across the Gulf of America and Mexican Caribbean
      • Reducing Marine Debris Impacts to Lake Erie Fishery Habitat
      • Reducing the Impact of Large Marine Debris on the National Marine Sanctuary System
      • Removal and Prevention of Abandoned and Derelict Vessels along the Oregon Coast
      • Removal and Restoration on Alaska’s Forrester Island (Gasḵúu)
      • Removal of Derelict Fishing Gear on Artificial Reefs in Charlotte Harbor Aquatic Preserves
      • Removal of Fishing Gear from Sensitive Cape Cod Habitats
      • Removal of Sunken Derelict Vessels from the Makah Marina at Neah Bay, WA
      • Removal of a Derelict Fishing Vessel from the Saipan Lagoon
      • Removing Abandoned Vessels and Recovering Habitat in Richardson Bay
      • Removing Abandoned and Derelict Vessels in American Samoa
      • Removing Abandoned and Derelict Vessels in Virginia and Building Capacity for a Statewide Removal and Disposal Program
      • Removing Derelict Vessels and Marine Debris from Weeks Bay and Its Tributaries
      • Removing Hurricane Michael Debris from Dog Island
      • Removing Hurricane Michael Debris in Northwest Florida
      • Removing Hurricane-Deposited Marine Debris from Mangrove Shorelines & Developing a U.S. Virgin Islands Marine Debris Action Plan
      • Removing Large Debris to Improve Providence’s Working Waterfront
      • Removing Large Scale Debris in the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument
      • Removing Large Scale Marine Debris From Montague Island in the northern Gulf of Alaska
      • Removing Marine Debris and Promoting Stewardship in the Oakland Estuary
      • Removing and Managing Derelict Fishing Traps in Puerto Rico
      • Removing and Preventing Derelict Fishing Gear and Large Debris Nationwide
      • Removing and Preventing Derelict Vessels on Tribal Tidelands in Washington
      • Removing and Preventing TRAPS Across the Nation
      • Removing and Repurposing Derelict Crab Traps in South Carolina Coastal Waters
      • Responsibly Responding to Fishing Gear through a Northeast Coalition
      • Restoring Hydrologic Connectivity to the Gulf of America Through Removal of Debris in the Lower Pearl River Basin
      • Revitalizing Michigan’s Ox Creek Through Debris Removal and Education
      • Safeguarding Bays: A Joint Effort to Reduce Debris in Northwest Florida
      • Salish Synergy: Cross-Border Debris Removal and Recycling
      • Setting the Baseline for a Marine Debris-free Puerto Rico
      • Shipwreck and Debris Removal from Las Croabas, Icacos, and Palominos, Puerto Rico
      • Swinomish Marine Debris Removal Project
      • Taking On Storm Debris in Coastal North Carolina
      • The Ghost Trap Rodeo: Competitions to Find and Remove Ghost Fishing Gear and Marine Debris from the Tampa Bay Estuary
      • The Kodiak Archipelago and the Alaska Peninsula Get Cleaned from Entangling Marine Debris
      • Tijuana River National Estuarine Research Reserve Marine Debris Clean-up and Reduction Program
      • Tijuana River National Estuarine Research Reserve Marine Debris Cleanup and Reduction Program
      • Using Unmanned Aerial Systems to Inform Marine Debris Removal Strategies and Monitor Habitat Recovery in the Rachel Carson Reserve
      • Vessel Debris Removal from Outer Banks Waterways
      • Volunteer-Aided Derelict Blue Crab Trap Removal Program in Alabama
      • Working Across the Gulf of America to Remove Large Marine Debris
    • Research
      • Coastal Export and Fate of Microplastics in the Southern California Bight
      • Evaluation of the Contributions of the United States to Global Ocean Plastic Waste
      • Examining Microplastic Occurrence in the Gut Contents of Sargassum-Associated Juvenile Fishes
      • Missing Marine Debris? Understanding the Sources of Marine Debris in the San Diego River
      • Pathways and Degradation of Marine Debris within the Guánica Watershed in Puerto Rico
      • Quantifying and Characterizing Microplastic Marine Debris Loads in the Mississippi River
      • Regional Impact Assessment of Derelict Fishing Gear in the Chesapeake Bay
      • Tracking Microplastics in the Choptank River Watershed
      • Understanding the Fate and Transport of Microplastics at Buoyant River Outflows
      • Understanding the Movement of Marine Debris in the Delaware Bay
      • Understanding the Sources and Pathways of Marine Debris Entering Lake Ontario
    • Monitoring
      • Citizen Science Marine Debris Monitoring in the Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary
      • Citizen Science Marine Debris Monitoring in the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary
      • Citizen Science Marine Debris Monitoring on the Oregon Coast
      • Collecting Marine Debris Data
      • Establishing a Marine Debris Baseline in the U.S. through a Nationwide Shoreline Survey
      • Examining Observer Bias in Marine Debris Data Collected by Citizen Scientists
      • MDMAP Tutorials
      • Monitoring Marine Debris in Virginia’s Coastal Zone
      • Status of Marine Debris on U.S. Shorelines
      • Marine Debris Monitoring and Assessment Project
        • Survey Protocols
        • General
        • Data Entry and Submissions
        • Recording Debris Items
        • Shoreline Characterization
        • Site Selection
      • Shoreline Monitoring FAQs
    • Emergency Response
      • Hurricanes Fiona, Ian, and Nicole, and Typhoon Merbok
      • Hurricanes Florence and Michael, and Typhoon Yutu
      • Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria
      • Hurricanes Laura, Sally, Delta, Zeta, and Ida
      • Hurricane Sandy Marine Debris
      • Japan Tsunami Marine Debris
      • Hurricanes Katrina and Rita
    • Education
      • Annual NOAA Marine Debris Program Art Contest and Calendar
      • For Educators
        • Spotlight
        • Classroom Resources
          • MDMAP Guide for Educators
            • After the Survey: Entering Data and Reflecting on the Experience
            • Before Every Survey: Safety Tips and Transect Selection
            • During the Survey: Survey Protocol
            • Get Ready: Site Selection and Preparation
            • Is MDMAP Right for Your Students?
            • Learning Objectives and Standards Alignment for Making a Marine Debris “MAP”
            • Student-Facing Directions for Making a Marine Debris “MAP”
            • Training Video Discussion Questions for Making a Marine Debris “MAP”
        • Student Voices
        • Educator Resources
        • Learning in Action
        • Crafts
          • Back to School Organization
      • For Students
        • Crafts
        • Learn About Marine Debris
        • Do Something About Marine Debris
        • Additional Resources
      • For Kids and Families
        • Crafts
        • Learn About Marine Debris
        • Do Something About Marine Debris
        • Additional Resources
      • For Adults and Professionals
        • Learn More About Marine Debris
        • Emergency Response
        • Taking Action on Marine Debris
        • Additional Resources
    • International Collaboration
    • Interagency Marine Debris Coordinating Committee
    • Marine Debris Clearinghouse
  • In Your Region
    • Region Map
    • Alaska
    • California
    • Caribbean
    • Florida
    • Great Lakes
    • Gulf of America
    • Mid-Atlantic
    • Northeast
    • Pacific Islands
    • Pacific Northwest
    • Southeast
  • Resources
    • Resources
    • Funding Opportunities
      • The NOAA Marine Debris Program Awards Funding to 6 New Projects to Remove Marine Debris
      • The NOAA Marine Debris Program Recommends 13 New Projects for Funding to Remove Marine Debris Under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law
    • Abandoned and Derelict Vessels Info Hub
      • Alabama
      • Alaska
      • American Samoa
      • California
      • Connecticut
      • Delaware
      • Florida
      • Georgia
      • Guam
      • Hawai'i
      • Illinois
      • Indiana
      • Louisiana
      • Maine
      • Maryland
      • Massachusetts
      • Michigan
      • Minnesota
      • Mississippi
      • New Hampshire
      • New Jersey
      • New York
      • North Carolina
      • Ohio
      • Oregon
      • Pennsylvania
      • Puerto Rico
      • Rhode Island
      • Salvaging Solutions to Abandoned and Derelict Vessels Webinar Series
      • South Carolina
      • Texas
      • US Virgin Islands
      • Virginia
      • Washington
      • Wisconsin
    • Tropical Islands Partnering on Solutions
    • Fact Sheets
      • Abandoned and Derelict Vessels Fact Sheet
      • Garbage Patches Fact Sheet
      • Marine Debris Disposal Options
      • Marine Debris Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Recovery
      • Marine Debris Fact Sheet
      • Marine Debris and the Economy Fact Sheet
      • Marine Debris in the Great Lakes Display Cards
      • Microplastic Marine Debris Fact Sheet
      • NOAA Marine Debris Program Fact Sheet
      • Plastic Marine Debris Fact Sheet
      • Storm Preparedness & Marine Debris Fact Sheet
    • Curricula
      • An Educator's Guide to Marine Debris
        • Building a Watershed
        • Cleanup Clues
        • Designing an Experiment
        • It's All Downstream From Here
        • Let's Talk Trash
        • Microplastic Investigation
        • The Solution to Pollution
        • Trapping Trash
        • Trash Tracker
      • Bolus Analysis
      • Campus Debris Survey
      • Educator's Guide to Marine Debris in the Southeast and Gulf of Mexico
        • "Ping" Your Way through the Derelict Boat Maze
        • Calculate Marine Debris from Land or Sea
        • Derelict Boats (Background)
        • Don't Teach Your Trash to Swim
        • Eating Plastic is a Deadly Meal
        • Help RoJo Reach the Recycle Center
        • Hold Your Breath
        • Litter (Background)
        • Lost or Abandoned Fishing Gear (Background)
        • Make Your Own Marine Debris Laws
        • Monofilament Mayhem
        • Sink or Float
        • Speak Up and State Your Claim
        • Stewardship and Responsibility (Background)
        • Ties that Bind
        • Traveling Litter
        • What Hurt This Whale?
        • What Is Marine Debris? (Background)
        • What's on the Beach Today?
        • Who Has - I Am (A Litter Matching Game)
      • From Shore to State House: Marine Debris Undergraduate Curriculum
      • Keeping Our Coastlines Clean U.S. Virgin Islands Marine Debris Curriculum
        • A Degrading Experience (USVI)
        • Beach Box Exploration (USVI)
        • Entanglement Problems
        • Investigating Oceanic Garbage Patches (USVI)
        • Linked Beach-Ghut Cleanups
        • Making Connections Through Art (USVI)
        • Mitigating Microplastics (USVI)
        • Natural Disasters and Marine Debris
        • Sources of Microplastics: Microbeads
        • Spotlight: Common Marine Debris Items
        • Spotlight: Community Transfer Projects
        • Spotlight: Implementing Public High School-Based Marine Debris Research and Science Communication
        • Spotlight: Making Outreach about Marine Debris More Accessible
        • Spotlight: Marine Debris Impacts to Sea Turtles
        • Spotlight: Microplastics
        • Spotlight: Plastic Free July in the VI
        • Spotlight: St. Croix Educational Complex Working to Reduce Marine Debris
        • Spotlight: St. Croix Students Reduce Marine Debris
        • Spotlight: The Great Mangrove Cleanups
        • Spotlight: US Virgin Islands Students Working Together to Reduce Marine Debris
        • Spotlight: Zola Roper
        • Upcycling Plastic Bags
        • Watershed Walk
        • Spotlight: Marine Debris and Natural Disasters: Removal of Abandoned and Derelict Vessels
      • Marine Debris Interruptions
        • Balloons on the Beach
        • Plastic Wads on the Beach
        • Yellow Rope on the Beach
      • Marine Debris Keiki Education & Outreach Program
        • Solutions at Work
        • Sorting Marine Debris
        • What Is Marine Debris?
      • Marine Debris Monitoring Toolkit for Educators
      • Marine Debris Prevention Best Practices Manual
      • Marine Debris Teaching and Learning Guides (Hawai‘i Marine Animal Response)
      • Microplastics & Microfibers Research in the Classroom
      • One Cool Earth Sustainability Leadership Course
        • Beeswax Wraps (Society 1)
        • Chumash Swordfish (Society 3)
        • Sewing Beeswax Bag (Society 2)
      • One Cool Earth's Earth Genius Curriculum
        • Pollution Solutions
        • Waste Audit
        • Garbology
      • Plastic Pollution and You: An Interdisciplinary Curriculum to Explore Our Role in Plastic Pollution
        • Activating Knowledge on Plastic Pollution
        • Create Your Own Outreach Campaign
        • Developing a Position on Plastic Pollution
        • How Does Plastic Get Into the Water?
        • How to Capture Plastic Pollution
        • Persuading Parker's Party Palace
        • Plastic Pollution Policies
        • Plastic Pollution and You
        • Plastic Pollution in Our Water
        • Plastic Pollution in Your Life
        • Public Hearing: Plastic Pollution Policy
        • Recycling in Your Community
        • Spotlight on a Scientist
        • Types of Plastic
        • What Can You Do About Plastic Pollution?
      • Science Literacy Project Standards-Based Curriculum
      • Taking a Bite Out of Lunchroom Waste Curriculum
        • Lesson 1A: What types of trash end up in our local spaces?
        • Lesson 1B: What is trash?
        • Lesson 1C: Where does our trash go?
        • Lesson 1D: What is the fate of trash?
        • Lesson 2: How does trash become marine debris?
        • Lesson 3: How much trash is produced in our school?
        • Lesson 4: How can we reduce the amount of trash produced by school lunches?
        • Lesson 5: How can we be changemakers?
      • Taking it to the Streets: Tackling Urban Trash Pollution Through Education and Action
        • Building a Science Identity
        • From Trash to Treasure
        • Remote Sensing with Google Earth
        • Sink or Float
        • Start a Movement
        • Trash Can Audit
        • Upcycled Arts and Crafts
        • Urban Litter Scavenger Hunt
        • Urban Trash Monitoring
        • Watershed Flows
      • Talking Trash and Taking Action
        • Cleanup Reflection
        • How to Conduct a Beach Cleanup
        • Impacts of Marine Debris
        • Marine Debris Composition and Decomposition
        • Marine Debris Prevention
        • Marine Debris Sources
        • Talking Trash and Taking Pride
        • Top 15 Marine Debris Items
        • Trash Tale
        • Trash Travels
        • Upcycling Craft Project
        • What Doesn't Belong?
      • Trash Shouldn’t Splash Toolkit
        • Communication Materials
        • K-12 Outreach Materials
        • Lessons Learned
        • Public Outreach Materials
        • Restaurant Outreach Materials
      • Turning the Tide on Trash
        • A Degrading Experience
        • A Scientific Cleanup
        • All Tangled Up
        • Coming to Terms with Marine Debris
        • Communicating for a Clean Future
        • Definition, Characteristics, and Sources of Marine Debris (Background)
        • Effects of Marine Debris (Background)
        • How Harmful Is Marine Debris?
        • Marine Animals and Harmful Debris
        • Marine Debris Data Mining
        • Nations and Neighbors
        • Sources of Marine Debris: From Street to Surf, From Hand to Sand
        • Taking Action
        • Trash Traits
        • Waste Inventory
        • Working Towards Solutions (Background)
      • Washed Ashore Integrated Arts Marine Debris Curriculum
        • Away Is Not Away Anymore
        • Breaking It Down!
        • Color and Emotion
        • Culmination
        • Divide and Conquer!
        • Introduction to Washed Ashore
        • Packaging, Then and Now
        • Resourcefulness in a Bottle
        • Roughing It
        • Single Use Plastics
        • What Goes Around Comes Around
        • What Is Plastic?
    • Activities
      • "Did You Know?" Marine Debris Bookmark Series
      • Be an Ocean Guardian: Activity Book
      • Marine Debris Magnet Craft Activity
      • Prince George’s County Clean and Beautiful Activity Books
      • Turtle Trash Collectors Program Activities Guide and Resources
      • Understanding Marine Debris - U.S. Virgin Islands Edition
      • Understanding Marine Debris: Games and Activities for Kids of All Ages
    • Search Marine Debris Education Materials
    • Emergency Response Guides
      • Alabama Marine Debris Emergency Response Guide
      • Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands Marine Debris Emergency Response Guide
      • Delaware Marine Debris Emergency Response Guide
      • Florida Marine Debris Emergency Response Guide
      • Georgia Marine Debris Emergency Response Guide
      • Guam Marine Debris Emergency Response Guide
      • Louisiana Marine Debris Emergency Response Guide
      • Maryland Marine Debris Emergency Response Guide
      • Mississippi Marine Debris Emergency Response Guide
      • New Jersey Marine Debris Emergency Response Guide
      • New York Marine Debris Emergency Response Guide
      • North Carolina Marine Debris Emergency Response Guide
      • Puerto Rico Marine Debris Emergency Response Guide
      • South Carolina Marine Debris Emergency Response Guide
      • Texas Marine Debris Emergency Response Guide
      • U.S. Virgin Islands Marine Debris Emergency Response Guide
      • Virginia Marine Debris Emergency Response Guide
    • Regional Action Plans
      • 2019 Hawai'i Marine Debris Action Plan Research Workshop
      • 2024 Southern New England Marine Debris Action Plan
      • California Ocean Litter Prevention Strategy
      • Florida Marine Debris Reduction Plan
      • Great Lakes Marine Debris Action Plan
      • Gulf of Maine Marine Debris Action Plan
      • Gulf of Mexico Alliance Regional Action Plan
      • Hawai'i Marine Debris Action Plan
      • Long Island Sound Marine Debris Action Plan
      • Mid-Atlantic Marine Debris Action Plan
      • Oregon Marine Debris Action Plan
      • Puerto Rico Strategic Plan to Reduce Aquatic Debris
      • Southeast Marine Debris Action Plan
      • U.S. Virgin Islands Marine Debris Action Plan
      • Virginia Marine Debris Reduction Plan
      • Washington Marine Debris Action Plan
    • Reports
      • Accomplishments Reports and Strategic Plans
        • Great Lakes Land-based Marine Debris Action Plan Accomplishments Report 2014-2019
        • Hawai'i Marine Debris Action Plan 2010-2020 Accomplishments Report
        • Marine Debris Program Accomplishments Report
      • Interagency Marine Debris Coordinating Committee Reports
        • Interagency Marine Debris Coordinate Committee Recommendations and Metrics Report
        • Interagency Marine Debris Coordinating Committee Biennial Report
        • Interagency Marine Debris Coordinating Committee Report on Microfiber Pollution
      • Abandoned and Derelict Vessels
        • Abandoned Vessel Authorities and Best Practices Guidance
        • Abandoned and Derelict Vessel Removal
        • About Abandoned and Derelict Vessels
        • Best Management Practices for Abandoned Boats
        • End-of-Life Vessel Material Management Guide
        • Proceedings of the Workshop on State-level Responses to Abandoned and Derelict Vessels
        • Recycling Opportunities for Abandoned, Derelict, and End-of-Life Recreational Vessels
      • Derelict Fishing Gear
        • 2018 Florida Shellfish Aquaculture Gear Management Workshop Proceedings
        • Assessing Ecological and Economic Effects of Derelict Fishing Gear: A Guiding Framework
        • Effects of Derelict Fishing Gear in the Chesapeake Bay Assessment Report
        • NOAA Submerged Derelict Trap Detection Methods Workshop
        • Proceedings of the Workshop on At-sea Detection and Removal of Derelict Fishing Gear
        • Sources and Impacts of Derelict Fishing Gear
      • Wildlife and Habitat Impacts
        • Entanglement of Marine Species in Marine Debris with an Emphasis on Species in the United States
        • Impact of “Ghost Fishing“ via Derelict Fishing Gear
        • Marine Debris Impacts on Coastal and Benthic Habitats
        • Marine Debris as a Potential Pathway for Invasive Species
        • Occurrence and Health Effects of Anthropogenic Debris Ingested by Marine Organisms
      • Emergency Response
        • Bering Strait Marine Debris Event Report
        • Detecting Japan Tsunami Marine Debris at Sea: A Synthesis of Efforts and Lessons-Learned
        • Marine Debris Emergency Response Planning in the North-Central Gulf of Mexico
        • Proceedings of the Japan Tsunami Marine Debris Summary Meeting
        • Response to the Misawa Dock on the Washington Coast
        • Severe Marine Debris Event Report: Superstorm Sandy
      • Microplastics
        • California Microfiber Update: Textile Perspective - Proceedings of the 2020 California Microfiber Workshop
        • Laboratory Methods for the Analysis of Microplastics in the Marine Environment
        • Proceedings of the International Research Workshop on Microplastic Marine Debris
        • Proceedings of the Second Research Workshop on Microplastic Marine Debris
        • Quantification of Microplastics on National Park Beaches
      • Modeling and Monitoring
        • Development of the Gulf of Mexico Marine Debris Model
        • Guidelines for the Monitoring and Assessment of Plastic Litter in the Ocean
        • Marine Debris Monitoring and Assessment: Recommendations for Monitoring Debris Trends in the Marine Environment
        • Modeling Oceanic Transport of Floating Marine Debris
      • Other Reports
        • A Behavior Change Campaign to Reduce Plastic Shotgun Wad Debris on the North-Central California Coast
        • An Analysis of Marine Debris in the US
        • Best Management Practices for Removal of Debris from Wetlands and Other Intertidal Areas
        • Economic study shows marine debris costs California residents millions of dollars
        • Marine Debris Prevention Projects and Activities in the Republic of Korea and United States
        • Marine Debris Program - Programmatic Environmental Assessment
        • Marine debris on the shoreline of Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary: An assessment of behaviors contributing to marine debris, categories & composition, spatial distribution, and predictor variables
        • Proceedings of the Great Lakes Land-Based Marine Debris Workshop
        • Study on the Economic Impacts of Marine Debris on Beaches
        • Technical Proceedings of the Fifth International Marine Debris Conference
        • The Honolulu Strategy
    • Marine Debris Monitoring and Assessment Project Protocol Documents and Field Datasheets
      • Protocol
        • MDMAP Marine Debris Item Categorization Guide
        • NOAA Marine Debris Monitoring and Assessment Project Shoreline Survey Guide
      • Datasheets
        • Shoreline Site Characterization Form
        • Survey Coversheet and Quick Reference
        • Transect Survey Form
    • NOAA Marine Debris Program e-Newsletter Archive
    • NOAA Marine Debris Program Education Newsletter Archive
  • Multimedia
    • Multimedia
    • Photos
      • Types
      • Sources
      • Solutions
      • Research
      • Prevention
      • Impacts
    • Artwork
      • Calendar Art
    • Infographics
      • Ancient Names Remembered
      • Impacts of Derelict Crab Pots in the Chesapeake Bay
      • Marine Debris Economic Study Infographic.
      • Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument
      • Plastics in the Ocean Infographic
    • Posters
      • Marine Debris Impacts in the Hawaiian Islands
      • Marine Debris is Everyone's Problem
      • What We Know About the "Garbage Patches"
      • What is Marine Debris?
    • Videos
      • Avoid the Trap: What Anglers Should Know about Commercial Fishing Nets
      • Back to School
      • CIMATEC’s Marina Club: Introducción
      • From Gear to Ghosts: Reeling in the Problem
      • Growing & Strengthening a Culture of Recycling to Reduce Marine Debris in Saipan's Waters-Carolinian
      • Growing & Strengthening a Culture of Recycling to Reduce Marine Debris in Saipan-Chamorro
      • Growing and Strengthening a Culture of Recycling to Reduce Marine Debris in Saipan's Waters
      • Initiating Island Connections
      • MDMAP Training Video 1: Introduction to MDMAP
      • Marine Debris
      • NOAA Divers Free Green Sea Turtle from Net in Hawaii
      • NOAA Marine Debris Capabilities Webinar
      • One Cool Earth Zero Waste: How To Start School Waste Sorting Stations
      • Our Debris Filling the Sea
      • Salvaging Solutions: Coordinating Successes and Lessons Learned
      • Salvaging Solutions: Oil and Hazardous Waste Issues
      • TRASH TALK Special Feature
      • TRASH TALK: Impacts of Marine Debris
      • TRASH TALK: Marine Debris and Plastics
      • TRASH TALK: What Can We Do About Marine Debris?
      • TRASH TALK: What is Marine Debris?
      • TRASH TALK: What is the Great Pacific Garbage Patch?
      • TRASH TALK: Where Does Marine Debris Come From?
      • What is Marine Debris?
  • Blog

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