The NOAA Marine Debris Program is pleased to share a report on Recycling Opportunities for Abandoned, Derelict, and End-of-Life Recreational Vessels. Section 136 of the Save Our Seas 2.0 Act (P.L. 116-224) required a study to determine the feasibility of developing a nationwide vessel recycling program, using a pilot project in Rhode Island as a model. The report was created by the Rhode Island Marine Trades Association Foundation, in partnership with the NOAA Marine Debris Program and National Marine Sanctuary Foundation, in order to summarize that study.
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.
Plastic particles less than 5mm in size, known as microplastics, are found everywhere that scientists have looked, including in the coastal waters of New England. The eastern oyster is an important commercial aquaculture species that has been shown to eat microplastics. In partnership with the NOAA Marine Debris Program, marine scientists at the University of Connecticut sampled oysters in the field and performed a series of selection experiments in the laboratory to determine what types of microplastics oysters prefer to eat or reject and how that relates to what is in the natural environment.
As temperatures slowly warm, and the Earth begins to thaw, springtime energy is evident across the Northeast Region. Though planning, cleanups, debris sorting, outreach, and research have been ongoing all winter, the NOAA Marine Debris Programโs grant-funded partners across Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut are ramping up for the summer field season and we have a lot to share!
Marine debris is widely recognized as a threat to coastal and marine wildlife. In the Northeastern United States, however, the severity and magnitude of the impacts of marine debris on birds has not been well evaluated. With this in mind, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, which has regulatory responsibility for all listed bird species in the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and Endangered Species Act, aimed to conduct research to better understand the effects of marine debris on birds.
The Northeast is home to rocky coastlines, sandflats and bays, migratory and residential protected species, and passionate fishing communities who dedicate their lives to their work in the marine environment. Our partners are working hard to keep the coast clean to conserve all that we love about New England, and have big plans for the new year!
Itโs almost World Migratory Bird Day! Coming up on Saturday, May 9, we are working with Environment for the Americas to raise awareness on the importance of migratory bird species and celebrate the ways they connect our world. Unfortunately, the world of birds and people can collide in the ocean and Great Lakes, where marine debris can be found in even the most remote places, including far-off islands where seabirds find shelter and breeding grounds.
The NOAA Marine Debris Program (MDP) is pleased to share the Gulf of Maine Marine Debris Action Plan. This document is the result of a collaborative effort between the NOAA Marine Debris Program and partners in Canada, Maine, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire, and represents a partner-led effort to guide marine debris actions in the Gulf of Maine for the next five years.
By Laura Ludwig, Center for Coastal Studies Marine Debris & Plastics Program
With the support of a NOAA Marine Debris Program Removal Grant, the team at the Center for Coastal Studies (CCS), located in Provincetown, Massachusetts, is mobilizing fishermen and volunteers to identify, document, and properly dispose of derelict fishing gear (DFG) from Cape Cod Bay and the Cape Cod National Seashore.
From the nationโs oldest fishing port, to feeding grounds for endangered North Atlantic right whales, to a rapidly expanding aquaculture industry, New Englandโs productive coastlines provide so much for the people and animals who depend upon them. Our partners in the Northeast are working hard to give a little bit back by stopping marine debris at its source, removing existing debris, and educating local communities.
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This survey is designed to measure your level of satisfaction with the NOAA Marine Debris Program Blog website. It consists of 10 questions and should take approximately two to five minutes to complete. Please do not use this survey to provide comments on or responses to rules, notices, solicitations or other official agency actions. Any information you provide will be used to for the sole purpose of improving NOAA's digital products and services.
If you wish to provide feedback outside of the scope of this survey, please contact us at marinedebris.web@noaa.gov.