This week marks the 2017 Capitol Hill Ocean Week (CHOW), during which lots of ocean-themed discussions are happening around Washington, DC. Last year, our very own Chief Scientist Amy Uhrin and Katie Register with Clean Virginia Waterways spoke about marine debris on the 2016 OceansLIVE!, a live-streaming web-based platform just for CHOW. Check out the video recording of their conversation about what marine debris is, where it comes from, and what we can do about it. Conversations like these are so important to remind us that we can all make a difference when it comes to marine debris.

This past Saturday was National Get Outdoors Day— did you participate? It’s getting to be that time of year when the weather is beautiful and being outside is awesome. Unfortunately, when you’re enjoying the outdoors, you’re likely to run into something that is way too common: marine debris. Sadly, marine debris is a global problem that originates from a variety of sources. That empty chip bag that you see on your street? That can easily find its way to our waters and become marine debris.

Happy World Ocean Day to everyone that lives on this big, blue planet! Each year, we celebrate this day by honoring our global ocean and all that it does for us. From the food we eat to the air we breathe, we are all connected to the ocean. This year’s theme, “our oceans, our future,” reminds us how we are always connected with the marine environment. Unfortunately, the ocean faces many threats, one of which is marine debris. Huge amounts of marine debris enter our ocean every day, jeopardizing its future health and making marine debris one of the most widespread pollution problems facing the ocean today.

One year ago today, the NOAA Marine Debris Program announced the launch of the “Get Started Toolbox” for our Marine Debris Monitoring and Assessment Project (MDMAP)! Since then, the Toolbox has been visited thousands of times for use as a resource by citizen science volunteers across the country. The Toolbox provides tutorials that cover the basics of the MDMAP, a collection of protocol documents and user guides, data analysis tools, a searchable photo gallery of marine debris items, answers to frequently asked questions, and even a quiz to test your MDMAP knowledge.

By: Sherry Lippiatt, California Regional Coordinator for the NOAA Marine Debris Program

Ever joined a beach cleanup or shoreline survey and wondered “where did all of this marine debris come from?" In reality, there are likely multiple sources including direct littering by beachgoers, wind, stormwater runoff, and the ocean itself. In California, the relative significance of these sources changes seasonally. California is unique in that we have distinct wet (October through March) and dry (April through September) weather seasons, which have a big influence on the amount of trash that travels through stormwater systems and eventually makes its way to our coastlines.

By: Sherry Lippiatt, California Regional Coordinator for the NOAA Marine Debris Program

The Channel Islands offshore of Southern California are a special place with tremendous biodiversity and cultural significance, and home to the Channel Islands National Park and Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary (CINMS). The islands are situated within 60 miles of 18 million people, yet receive relatively few human visitors, harbor 175 miles of undeveloped coastline, and provide habitat for numerous marine mammals, threatened birds, and other species unique to the area. Unfortunately, due to their location and orientation, the Channel Islands are also a local sink for marine debris that enters the Santa Barbara Channel.

Meet Sherry Lippiatt, the NOAA Marine Debris Program’s California Regional Coordinator! Reach out to Sherry at Sherry.Lippiatt@noaa.gov!

California is a state of mind, sun, good times, and unfortunately, marine debris. California’s beautiful coastline is often cluttered with trash and other items that don’t belong there. Luckily, there are several efforts currently underway to address marine debris in this beautiful region of the country. Check out some newly-established projects in the NOAA Marine Debris Program’s California region:

Focusing on the unique Channel Islands, California State University Channel Islands is working to monitor and remove debris from Santa Rosa and Santa Cruz Islands. 

The NOAA Marine Debris Program is excited to welcome you to our new blog! Here you’ll find all the features you know and love, with improved integration into our website so all the information you need is right at your fingertips! If you’ve previously subscribed to our blog, don’t worry, you’ll continue to get email notifications of new blog posts. If you haven’t yet subscribed and would like to receive notifications, you can sign up by using the link on our new blog home page under “Email List Request.” All users can manage their account through the provided link.

We are excited to continue to share marine debris information, inspiring stories, and news to keep you informed about the world of marine debris. Every single one of us has a part to play in solving this preventable problem and being informed is the first step. Thank you for your efforts and your enthusiasm to help rid our ocean and Great Lakes of marine debris. We are excited to introduce you to our new blogging platform. Welcome.