Who We Are

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Marine Debris Program is a United States Government agency. We were established by Congress in 2006 through the Marine Debris Act and are a program of the National Oceanic and  Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and a division of the Office of Response and Restoration. 

We are the United States Government’s lead for addressing marine debris. Our mission is to investigate and prevent the adverse impacts of marine debris and we do this through our six main pillars: Prevention, Removal, Research, Monitoring and Detection, Response, and Coordination. Discover more about marine debris.

Prevention

Prevention is the ultimate solution to marine debris. We support projects that prevent marine debris from entering our ocean, waterways, and Great Lakes through outreach and education efforts that raise awareness and support behavior change. Learn more about our prevention efforts.

Removal

We support removal projects across the United States. From local shoreline cleanups to the removal of large abandoned vessels, these projects benefit coastal habitats, waterways, and wildlife. Since 2006, NOAA has supported over 160 marine debris removal projects and removed more than 36,000 metric tons of marine debris from our coasts, ocean, and Great Lakes. Learn more about our removal efforts.  

Research

We support projects that help to increase our understanding of the impacts of marine debris to commercial seafood species, whether exposure to plastics and chemicals can harm wildlife, how marine debris is transported and where it ends up, and the economic impacts of debris. Learn more about our research efforts. 

Monitoring and Detection

We work to improve our understanding of the scope, scale, and distribution of marine debris in the environment. Through the Marine Debris Monitoring and Assessment Project, the Marine Debris Program provides tools and resources for standardized data collection and empowers citizen scientists and local efforts. We are also harnessing and facilitating the use of emerging remote sensing technologies and techniques for marine debris detection.  

Response

Disasters that impact the United States coast can be an overwhelming source of marine debris. We prepare for severe  weather and other disaster events by supporting regionally-focused emergency response planning efforts and coordinating with partners during an event. Learn more about our response efforts. 

Coordination

The NOAA Marine Debris Program supports local marine debris initiatives through coordination in ten regions across the United States, including territories in the Pacific Islands and the Caribbean. We also support key international partnerships, provide input to collaborative research, and support other organizations and governments to reduce marine debris globally. Find your Marine Debris Program region and learn more about our work internationally.