Thousands of abandoned and derelict vessels (ADVs) litter coastal waterways all over the country, obstructing navigational channels, causing harm to the environment, and diminishing commercial and recreational activities. For many communities, assessing, removing, and disposing of these vessels is complex and requires significant financial resources. Over the past year, experts from across the country shared their experiences, solutions, and lessons learned through our Salvaging Solutions to Abandoned and Derelict Vessels monthly webinar series to help communities facing ADV issues. We are pleased to share that the full webinar series is now available on our website.
The goal of this webinar series is to share geographically diverse perspectives on common ADV challenges. Almost 30 presenters from federal, state, and local governments, nongovernmental organizations, universities, and industry shared their ADV experiences. About 125 people attended each month and were able to ask questions in real-time, and with the release of these recordings, we hope to reach more who will benefit from the resources shared each month.
Salvaging Solutions to Abandoned and Derelict Vessels Webinar Topics:
- Knowing the Ropes - an overview of the issue on a national, regional, and local level, and set the stage for the rest of the webinar series
- Weathering Stormy Waters - how ADVs are addressed before, during, and after major storm events
- During Fair Winds and Following Seas - innovative policies and programs to address chronic "blue sky" ADV issues
- Funding the Issues - sources of funding to address abandoned and derelict vessels
- Taking an Inventory of the Issue - efforts to inventory and track ADVs
- Oil and Hazardous Waste - oil and hazardous waste-related issues when addressing ADVs
- Coordination Success Stories and Lessons Learned - the coordination needed to successfully remove ADVs left during blue skies and after a disaster, along with the challenges that can arise
- Vessel Disposal and Recycling - a few methods to dispose and recycle ADVs along with debris created through the winterization of vessels
- ADV Policies and InfoHub Reflections - discussing the establishment of a new ADV program in Virginia, along with the NOAA Marine Debris Program providing a brief overview of their ADV InfoHub and looking for suggestions to further develop this tool to better serve you
Visit our website for additional ADV resources and to view all nine of the Salvaging Solutions webinars. Subscribe to our newsletter to receive notifications of future ADV-related webinars, funding opportunities, and more. For more information, please contact SalvagingSolutions@noaa.gov.