The Pacific Islands bring to mind some of the world’s most beautiful beaches, but many do not know it is also home to beaches that are overwhelmed with marine debris. Pacific Ocean currents carry marine debris from afar to these remote archipelagos, inundating even its uninhabited islands with massive amounts of trash. The NOAA Marine Debris Program’s (MDP) Pacific Islands Region includes the Hawaiian Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI).

When we think about marine debris, we often picture the turtles, fish, and marine mammals that are impacted by plastics, fishing gear, and other marine debris. But what about wildlife that spends its time above water? World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD) is coming up this Saturday, May 11, and we are working with Environment for the Americas to raise awareness on the importance of migratory bird species, and the ways we can protect birds from the threat of plastic pollution and marine debris.

Are you ready for the storm? Hurricane season is right around the corner, and NOAA is getting ready during Hurricane Preparedness Week! Severe weather producing strong winds, rain, and storm surge can threaten your safety and property, and it can also create large amounts of marine debris. Yard furniture, cars, boats, parts of homes, and fencing or docks can become dislodged and end up in waterways and the ocean during a storm.

It’s Hurricane Preparedness Week! As we start preparing for hurricane season, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Marine Debris Program is pleased to release the “Maryland Marine Debris Emergency Response Guide: Comprehensive Guidance Document” (Maryland Guide). The Maryland Guide is a product of a collaborative process with local, state, and federal agencies. The Guide aims to improve preparedness for response and recovery operations following an acute waterway debris incident in coastal Maryland.

April showers bring May flowers… and Mother’s Day! This year, in addition to celebrating mom and all the wonderful women in your life, let’s also share a little love with Mother Earth by reducing waste and the potential for creating marine debris. Here are some ways you can shower any mother with love...

Winter storms are fierce and powerful along the coast of the Pacific Northwest, capable of moving fishing gear far from where it was deployed. The peak of the Dungeness crab season is in the dead of winter, coinciding with storm season, a major contributor for gear loss. Lost crab pots and other derelict fishing gear harm the environment, pose a risk to navigation, and negatively impact the economy.

To visitors of the Pacific Northwest, beaches along the Pacific Ocean and the Puget Sound seem stunningly beautiful and often pristine. A closer look reveals that these beaches, like beaches the world over, are impacted by marine debris that harms the ecosystem, creates navigational hazards, and negatively affects the economy.

Despite the fact that cigarette smoking is on a steep decline, cigarette butts remain the top littered item in San Francisco, and the most common item found on beaches around the world. They’re easy to miss, but once you see them, you’ll never “unsee” them. Surfrider San Francisco’s Hold on to Your Butt program has one ambitious goal: to end cigarette litter so we never have to see those butts again. Through volunteer power, the program works to bring awareness to the environmental impact of the cigarette flick.