In recent years, increasing amounts of marine debris littering the shores of Washington’s wilderness beaches have caused concern in the conservation community. Salish Synergy: Cross-Border Debris Removal and Recycling, an ambitious new project led by the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation and funded by the NOAA Marine Debris Program, aims to remove 35,000 pounds of marine debris from Washington’s outer coast annually.  

Small plastic pellets, or nurdles, are the raw material for almost everything made of plastic. Unfortunately, before they make it to plastic production, they can be released into the environment where they pollute habitats and harm wildlife. With a grant from the NOAA Marine Debris Program, Nurdle Patrol, a citizen science project run by the Mission-Aransas National Estuarine Research Reserve at the University of Texas Marine Science Institute in Port Aransas, Texas, is expanding efforts throughout Mexico.

The wonders of Washington’s Salish Sea are easy to find. A day exploring here can include roaming a shoreline digging for clams while one of the region's many snowcapped mountains loom in the background, catching salmon, pulling up pots full of Dungeness crab, or traversing the majestic San Juan Archipelago. Yet, underneath the waters of the Salish Sea lies a hidden threat to the ecosystem; lost and abandoned fishing nets and crab pots on the seafloor that degrade marine habitat and entangle and capture marine life with no one there to harvest them. Living in this area comes with the responsibility to protect its beauty and the resources it provides.

The Gulf of Mexico is a vast and productive body of water spanning 600,000 square miles with tremendous ecological, economic, and social value. The vast Gulf provides essential habitat for an amazing diversity of fish, whales, dolphins, and species of migratory, wading, and sea birds. Unfortunately, marine debris impacts habitats, wildlife, and industries throughout the Gulf of Mexico. In order to address the issue of marine debris, from large hurricane debris to tiny microplastics, the region needs a comprehensive approach that brings together many partners.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Marine Debris Program is pleased to announce our Fiscal Year 2022 NOAA Marine Debris Removal notice of funding opportunity. Funding for this opportunity is provided through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The NOAA Marine Debris Program will award up to $56 million to fund projects that remove marine debris to benefit marine and Great Lakes habitats and communities. This competition focuses on two priorities: removing large marine debris and using proven interception technologies to capture marine debris throughout the coastal United States, Great Lakes, territories, and Freely Associated States.

Staff, faculty, and students at California State University Channel Islands (CSUCI) Santa Rosa Island Research Station have been working to monitor and remove marine debris from portions of Santa Rosa and Santa Cruz Islands since 2015. With support from the NOAA Marine Debris Program, over 7,500 pounds of debris have been removed from the islands since 2020. This three-year project is an extension of past research and collaborative efforts of partners across the Channel Islands. CSUCI invited the NOAA Marine Debris Program California Regional Coordinator and the program’s California Sea Grant Extension Fellow for a week-long site visit to remove and assess the amounts, types, and sources of marine debris on Santa Rosa Island.

The Gulf of Maine, which extends from the Bay of Fundy to Cape Cod Bay, is one of the most dynamic and productive marine ecosystems in the world. With its unique coastal habitats and rich waters, the region supports a variety of wildlife from migratory shorebirds to fish, shellfish, and marine mammals. It also provides valuable economic, cultural, and recreational opportunities for people who call the Gulf of Maine home. Unfortunately, marine debris from human-made materials, such as plastics and derelict fishing gear, can damage ocean and coastal habitat and harm wildlife through entanglement and ingestion.