In San Luis Obispo County, California, protecting our creeks and coastlines is a shared responsibility. The estuary, teeming with life and natural beauty, faces growing threats from pollutants that enter through creeks and rivers, impacting the delicate ecosystems that depend on clean waters. One Cool Earth wanted to help tackle these concerns. 

We are pleased to announce with the William and Mary’s Batten School and the Virginia Institute of Marine Science 11 new marine debris removal projects under the Nationwide Fishing Trap Removal, Assessment, and Prevention (TRAP) Program. These projects represent an investment of $1.4 million to clean our nation's waterways with funds provided by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The Virginia Institute of Marine Science selected these projects, in coordination with the NOAA Marine Debris Program, through a rigorous and competitive review process. 

The NOAA Marine Debris Program is proud to collaborate with multiple tribal partners in efforts to remove marine debris from our waterways and support communities that work to reduce the impacts of marine debris on our shores. Through our grant programs, regional action plans, and community-building efforts, the NOAA Marine Debris Program strives to bring together the many groups that work tirelessly to protect our shorelines and ocean. On Native American Heritage Day, in celebration of our tribal partners’ rich ancestral heritage and commitment to stewardship, we are highlighting some active and recently completed projects that partner with or are led by native communities. Learn more about each of the projects, the impacts of marine debris on native communities, and native leadership in coastal restoration. 

Dungeness Crab are an essential asset to the North Olympic Peninsula, ecologically, economically, and culturally. A side-effect of the beloved fishery is gear loss and bycatch, in Washington State an estimated 120,000 crab pots are deployed annually and there is an estimated gear loss of 10%. These lost crab pots are responsible for unnecessary crab mortality, habitat damage, and entanglement and mortality of marine mammals and other important species. Innerspace Exploration worked with a number of other partners to remove derelict crab pots from both Discovery and Sequim Bays in Washington.

San Diego Bird Alliance is a local leader that shares the value and restoration potential for tidal wetland ecosystems. In South San Diego Bay, our remnant tidal wetlands are fragmented, heavily impacted by the development around them, and changing as sea levels rise. San Diego Bird Alliance brings the community to these natural habitats to share and learn about the species that live there and how they need protection and space to live and thrive.

Are you a student or teacher who’s passionate about marine debris? Then get your art supplies ready, because this year’s NOAA Marine Debris Program Art Contest is officially open! Students in grades K-8 from the United States and U.S. territories can submit their artwork now through December 13th. Enter today and you could see your artwork featured in our 2026 Marine Debris Calendar! So get crafty, get creative, and help us raise awareness about marine debris.

The NOAA Marine Debris Program is proud to announce the launch of the Marine Debris Monitoring and Assessment Project Nationwide Survey, conducted in partnership with 1stMission LLC, and made possible with funding provided by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.