The Great Lakes region, with its complex habitats, is no stranger to environmental problems. Organizations have been working for many years to address issues like chemical contaminants, invasive species, and harmful algal blooms. Many of these same organizations, along with emerging leaders from local communities and schools, are now working on new waste awareness and prevention projects to tackle the problem of plastics!

Today, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF), a partner of the NOAA Marine Debris Program, announced the 2021 Request for Proposals for the Fishing for Energy Partnership. The NOAA Marine Debris Program is pleased to be part of this collaboration, along with NFWF, Covanta, and Schnitzer Steel to provide up to $500,000 in grant funding this year to support strategies that reduce the impacts of derelict fishing gear on marine and coastal environments and navigational safety. The deadline for full proposals is Tuesday, March 30, 2021.

Marine debris is widely recognized as a threat to coastal and marine wildlife. In the Northeastern United States, however, the severity and magnitude of the impacts of marine debris on birds has not been well evaluated. With this in mind, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, which has regulatory responsibility for all listed bird species in the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and Endangered Species Act, aimed to conduct research to better understand the effects of marine debris on birds.

The Northeast is home to rocky coastlines, sandflats and bays, migratory and residential protected species, and passionate fishing communities who dedicate their lives to their work in the marine environment. Our partners are working hard to keep the coast clean to conserve all that we love about New England, and have big plans for the new year!

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.

Although we are not attending in-person events right now, conferences and other large events can generate large amounts of waste from food and beverage, registration, travel, lodging, giveaways, and other activities. At the NOAA Marine Debris Program, we recognize that environmental organizations and scientists have a particular responsibility to reduce the amount of waste generated through these events. In an article recently published in the journal Marine Pollution Bulletin, we highlight our commitment to “walking the talk” by reducing waste at events and preventing potential sources of marine debris.

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.