Caribbean

The NOAA Marine Debris Program (MDP) is pleased to share the 2023-2028 Puerto Rico Strategic Plan to Reduce Aquatic Debris. This document, available in Spanish and English, is the result of a collaborative effort between the NOAA MDP, the U.S. EPA Region 2 and Trash Free Waters Program, and organizations across Puerto Rico, and represents a stakeholder-led effort to guide aquatic and marine debris actions in Puerto Rico.

The picturesque islands in the Caribbean can be considered the perfect dream vacation getaway for many, but this natural paradise isn’t free from the issues of marine debris. Islands in the Caribbean are vulnerable to hurricanes, and communities are often impacted by disaster debris. Other factors, such as a dependence on imported goods and solid waste management challenges, increase the chance of unwanted debris littering their coasts. With the support from the NOAA Marine Debris Program, our partners in the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico are passionately working to remove existing debris, develop strategies to prevent future marine debris, and create tools that empower communities to take local action.

Club Marina is a group of high school females interested in environmental science in Puerto Rico who are committed to protecting the environment. In an effort to educate and raise awareness about the dangers of marine debris, they’ve been hard at work creating videos about hurricanes and debris in Puerto Rico. In this series of Spanish videos, viewers have the opportunity to understand more about preventing marine debris, hurricane preparedness, and debris management.

An island in the middle of the Caribbean Sea is an idyllic place to live and visit, but islands can be particularly vulnerable to marine debris. The effects of marine debris can be seen in everyday life in the U.S. Virgin Islands, from the visible debris on our beaches, to the economic toll that it can take on our tourism industry. To help address the issue, the University of the Virgin Islands is leading efforts to remove marine debris from sensitive mangrove habitats and coordinate action with stakeholders across the territory.

Florida and the Caribbean likely bring to mind vacations full of beautiful, sandy beaches, coral reefs teeming with life, swaying palm trees, and picturesque sunsets. But a deeper dive reveals the tragic impacts of marine debris to our local wildlife, our fishing and tourism economies, and the health of our waters. From Plastic Reduction Challenges and Ghost Trap Rodeos to big coastal cleanups and hurricane debris removals, our newest partners in the region have already risen to the challenge and are working hard to implement creative solutions to remove debris and prevent it at the source.

As students and teachers prepare for a new year of learning, we are sharing educational marine debris resources that highlight the problem in different locations and different languages. Marine debris is a constant and challenging threat to communities all over the world. It can travel on currents across the ocean, reach remote shorelines where very few people live, and cause major problems for both people and wildlife. No matter where you live, it's important for us all to understand the problem.

Just imagine having the opportunity to wake up every day to the sound of waves, a myriad shades of blue, and warm, salty breezes…For an islander, there is no place you’d rather be! But what happens when nature shows its other face? The NOAA Marine Debris Program’s Florida and the Caribbean and Pacific Islands Regions include island communities that are uniquely impacted by natural disasters. Tropical islands are highly vulnerable to the impact of hurricanes and typhoons for many reasons, and one dangerous consequence is the amount of marine debris that is generated.

Did you know that a category 3 hurricane can produce over 70 million cubic yards of debris? That’s about 31 football stadiums worth of debris! If the debris is near shorelines or waterways, it can end up in the water as marine debris. Removing that much debris is a difficult and expensive process, and it can be difficult to know how to get started. That’s why the NOAA Marine Debris Program is participating in Hurricane Preparedness Week and working with coastal states and U.S. territories to help communities prepare for marine debris after hurricanes.