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Special Funding Opportunity: Nationwide Fishing Trap Removal, Assessment, and Prevention Program madison.piascik Mon, 04/15/2024 - 08:07
A pile of derelict fishing gear tangled together on a shoreline.

We are pleased to announce with the Virginia Institute of Marine Science, a request for proposals under the Nationwide Fishing Trap Removal, Assessment, and Prevention (TRAP) Program. With funding from the NOAA Marine Debris Program provided by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the Virginia Institute of Marine Science will award up to $1,475,000 in grants to remove derelict fishing traps throughout coastal waterways of the United States while collecting data to prevent future gear loss.

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derelict fishing gear
derelict crab pots
funding opportunities
grants
Bipartisan Infrastructure Law
2024 Ocean Odyssey Marine Debris Awards for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Justice, and Accessibility madison.piascik Wed, 04/03/2024 - 16:04
A group of volunteers picking up plastic marine debris on a sandy beach.

Following a competitive review process, the NOAA Marine Debris Program and National Marine Sanctuary Foundation are pleased to announce the 12 recipients of the Ocean Odyssey Fiscal Year 2024 Marine Debris Awards for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Justice, and Accessibility (DEIJA). Learn more about the award recipients!

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funding opportunities
All The Tools You Need To Tackle Marine Debris madison.piascik Wed, 04/03/2024 - 13:52
Two volunteers sorting through miscellaneous marine debris items and classifying types on a datasheet.

The NOAA Marine Debris Program has all of the tools to engage partners and volunteers around the world to survey and record the amount and types of marine debris on shorelines.

Public participation in science goes by many names (“citizen science,” “community science,” and “volunteer monitoring” to name a  few) and takes many forms. Through the NOAA Marine Debris Monitoring and Assessment Project (MDMAP), the NOAA Marine Debris Program partners with the public to conduct surveys. These surveys are valuable scientific tools that are used to identify ways to prevent and track progress toward reduction of marine debris. Conducting a marine debris survey is also an engaging and empowering way to gain firsthand experience with the issue, while collecting authentic scientific data!

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Citizen Science
monitoring
shoreline monitoring
MDMAP
Hawaiian Monk Seals Face the Threat of Derelict Fishing Gear emily.greene Wed, 03/20/2024 - 13:15
Three Hawaiian monk seals playing in shallow waters.

Hawaiian monk seals face many threats caused by humans, including food limitation and habitat loss. However, one of their most significant threats is marine debris. Hawaiian monk seals are observed stuck in nets and fishing gear more than almost any other pinniped (seal, sea lion, or walrus) species. Seals can be entangled in all types of derelict fishing gear, including nets, lines, and hooks from non-commercial and commercial fishing. Entanglement can make it difficult for seals to breathe, hunt for food, and escape from predators, potentially leading to injury or death. Entanglement is seen more frequently in Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument.

Tags
Pacific Islands
entanglement
removal

New Southern New England Marine Debris Action Plan Released

Posted Mon, 02/26/2024 - 14:03
Cover of the Southern New England Marine Debris Action Plan.

The NOAA Marine Debris Program is pleased to share the Southern New England Marine Debris Action Plan (Action Plan). This document is the result of a collaborative effort between the NOAA Marine Debris Program and partners across Rhode Island and Southern Massachusetts, including federal, state, and nongovernmental organizations, industry, and academia. It represents a partner-led effort to guide marine debris efforts in Rhode Island and Southern Massachusetts through 2029.

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report
The Marine Debris Leadership Academy: Spanning Boundaries to Tackle Marine Debris in the Tijuana River Watershed emily.greene Thu, 02/08/2024 - 20:58
A group of people gathered in a desert terrain listening to one person speak.

Located in Imperial Beach, California, the Tijuana River National Estuarine Research Reserve (TRNERR) sees challenges as opportunities to utilize trinational collaboration in addressing the social-ecological impacts of marine debris. With support from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Marine Debris Program (NOAA MDP) provided through the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement Implementation Act, the ResiDUOS project was created to collaboratively develop a community-driven circular economy pilot project, capture and characterize trash, remove debris in critical natural habitats, and develop a binational emergency response guide to flooding. 

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prevention
California