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Damaged vessels and other marine debris were left in the wake of Hurricane Sally in coastal Alabama (Credit: NOAA).
We are pleased to announce, with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, a request for proposals under the Hurricane Response Marine Debris Removal Fund is now open through June 29. The program will primarily fund marine debris assessment, removal, restoration, and disposal activities in coastal communities in Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and the western Florida Panhandle.
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Artwork by Rose L. (Grade 2, Virginia), winner of the 2021 NOAA Marine Debris Program Art Contest. Rose's artwork appears in June in the 2022 Marine Debris Calendar.
June is National Ocean Month, and we will spend the month celebrating everything we love about the ocean. Throughout the month we'll focus on the ways that marine debris impacts ocean habitats, marine wildlife, and our economy. You can explore all these topics and more on our website.
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Registration is now open for the 7th International Marine Debris Conference. Learn more about fees, online options, and discounts.
The 7th International Marine Debris Conference (7IMDC) will take place September 18-23, 2022 in Busan, Republic of Korea. This conference is one of the world’s largest and longest-running events dedicated to the issue of marine debris. The 7IMDC is organized by the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries of the Republic of Korea, the United Nations Environment Programme, and the Korea Marine Environment Management Corporation, with support from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Registration for the 7IMDC is now open! Take advantage of student and online-only registration discounts.
Derelict vessels and other debris in a Panama City marina following Hurricane Michael (Credit: NOAA).
The 2022 hurricane season is here, and we are sharing NOAA Marine Debris Program resources to help you prepare for storms and prevent storm-generated debris from accumulating in waterways and on shorelines. Hurricanes and typhoons are among nature's most powerful and destructive events, and when these natural disasters strike they can create massive amounts of debris. That’s why the NOAA Marine Debris Program is working with coastal states and U.S. territories to help communities prepare for hurricanes and prevent and respond to marine debris.
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Wharf-side rope disposal bin in Lord’s Cove, Deer Island, New Brunswick (Credit: Jackie Walker).
The Gulf of Maine, which extends from the Bay of Fundy to Cape Cod Bay, is one of the most dynamic and productive marine ecosystems in the world. With its unique coastal habitats and rich waters, the region supports a variety of wildlife from migratory shorebirds to fish, shellfish, and marine mammals. It also provides valuable economic, cultural, and recreational opportunities for people who call the Gulf of Maine home. Unfortunately, marine debris from human-made materials, such as plastics and derelict fishing gear, can damage ocean and coastal habitat and harm wildlife through entanglement and ingestion.
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An oyster being exposed to microplastics in the laboratory (Credit: Kayla Mladinich).
Plastic particles less than 5mm in size, known as microplastics, are found everywhere that scientists have looked, including in the coastal waters of New England. The eastern oyster is an important commercial aquaculture species that has been shown to eat microplastics. In partnership with the NOAA Marine Debris Program, marine scientists at the University of Connecticut sampled oysters in the field and performed a series of selection experiments in the laboratory to determine what types of microplastics oysters prefer to eat or reject and how that relates to what is in the natural environment.
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Fishing gear can become lost in the marine environment due to storm action, propellers, interaction with mobile fishing gear, and deteriorating lines (Credit: NOAA).
Throughout the year, the NOAA Marine Debris Program will spotlight each region for an entire month. Take a look back at the Northeast projects we highlighted in May.
As temperatures continue to warm, summertime energy is evident across the Northeast Region. Though planning, cleanups, debris sorting, outreach, and research have been ongoing all winter, the NOAA Marine Debris Program’s grant-funded partners across Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut are ramping up for the summer field season and we have a lot to share!
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Check out the new Long Island Marine Debris Action Plan!
We are pleased to share with Connecticut and New York Sea Grant the 2022 Long Island Sound Marine Debris Action Plan. This framework of strategic actions aims to mitigate the impacts of marine debris on Long Island Sound, its coasts, watersheds, people, and wildlife. A bi-state marine debris planning team, led by the Connecticut and New York Sea Grant programs under the guidance of the NOAA Marine Debris Program, co-developed the plan over a 24-month period in collaboration with numerous stakeholders. This Action Plan encompasses work that will be undertaken over the next five years.
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