In order to help raise awareness of the issue, we’re excited to be offering the Ohio Marine Debris Art Challenge for students in grades 6-12 in coastal Ohio! After learning about marine debris in the ocean and Great Lakes, and how we all may be contributing with our trash, students will create marine debris artwork from repurposed trash.

We are excited to announce our new monthly webinar series, Salvaging Solutions to Abandoned and Derelict Vessels. Every fourth Wednesday of the month at 3 pm ET, the webinar will feature experts on a topic related to abandoned and derelict vessels (ADVs), to share perspectives and solutions from across the country on common ADV issues.

Practicing waste reduction at home builds a strong foundation for reducing waste in our everyday lives. While spending more time at home this winter, we can examine our daily habits and think about the ways we can be more sustainable. Reducing our personal waste is an important part of preventing potential marine debris; let’s kick off our new year with resolving to do so.

With many of us spending extra time at home this winter, the NOAA Marine Debris Program is excited to share some of the ways we have been keeping busy and getting ready for the holidays. These creative decoration and gift wrapping ideas will help you reduce waste and bring holiday cheer into your home.

The Pribilof Islands are among the most unique and important places in the world. Three of the five islands making up the Pribilof Islands are uninhabited, but two of the largest islands, St. George and St. Paul Islands, host vibrant communities that are predominantly Unangax̂/Unangan. However, these communities have long shouldered the burdensome and overwhelming responsibility of removing tens of thousands of tons of debris, much of which originates far from the communities themselves. Because of the multitude of threats resulting from marine debris pollution that constantly accumulates on the coastlines of St. George and St. Paul, these communities have developed and expanded locally-driven marine debris prevention and removal efforts.

We are pleased to share our new Strategic Plan for fiscal years 2021-2025! This document highlights how the Marine Debris Program will work with dedicated staff and partners for the next five years to make a measurable change toward reaching our vision: the global ocean and its coasts free from the impacts of marine debris.