Posts tagged with

monitoring

New Tools for Collecting and Exploring Marine Debris Data

Posted Thu, 11/03/2022 - 11:00

Marine debris is a familiar sight on shorelines around the world, and a reminder that there is still work to be done to tackle this global environmental problem. While we know a lot about marine debris, there are questions that can help test and identify the best solutions. How much marine debris is on our shores? What kind of debris is it, and where does it come from? Are these things changing over time? You can help find the answers through NOAA’s Marine Debris Program Monitoring and Assessment Project! An updated Monitoring Toolbox contains all of the resources you need to get started.

Dive into Citizen Science to Tackle Marine Debris

Posted Tue, 04/20/2021 - 11:00

One of the best things about citizen science is the opportunity to get involved with your local community while making a difference on a broad scale. There are so many impactful projects you can take part in as a citizen scientist, whether you are looking for a long-term commitment to keep a local shoreline clean or want to make a positive impact when doing things you love. Check out these ways to get started.

Using Citizen Science to Understand Marine Debris

Posted Thu, 04/08/2021 - 11:00

Spring is here! As the temperatures increase and weather improves, many of us are drawn to the outdoors. But what if your trip to the beach could be more than just an enjoyable day? What if you could do scientific research at the same time as a citizen scientist? Opportunities for the public most often come in the form of data collection, but they can also include providing input on questions to investigate, participating in study design, or interpreting and sharing results. Several projects funded through the NOAA Marine Debris Program have tapped into this community resource as well, and committed stewards around the country have contributed invaluable data to monitoring and research projects that support our vision of a sea free of debris.

Monitoring for Clean Beaches jennifer.simms Wed, 06/26/2019 - 11:29

Put on your flip-flops and let’s head to the beach! This week we are celebrating Clean Beaches Week and all of the great work our Marine Debris Monitoring and Assessment Project (MDMAP) participants are doing.

Partnering for Monitoring

Posted Thu, 07/19/2018 - 17:54

Since beginning in 2012, the NOAA Marine Debris Monitoring and Assessment Project (MDMAP) has brought forth invaluable data, which continues to increase our shared knowledge of marine debris. Partners from around the world have contributed to this dataset by conducting 4,421 surveys at 335 monitoring sites in nine countries. The NOAA Marine Debris Program (MDP) coordinates these efforts, which would not be possible without the dedication of MDMAP partners who lead the charge in collecting data through their passion for the ocean. Both new and experienced MDMAP partner organizations and volunteers contribute time, energy, and resources to expand our understanding of this global issue.

On a Mission to Monitor Shoreline Marine Debris

Posted Wed, 07/18/2018 - 21:08

Marine debris is unfortunately an all too frequent sight on our coastlines. A common misconception is that all shoreline debris was left behind by beachgoers. In fact, debris makes its was to the beach from many different sources, including the sea, stormwater runnoff, wind, and nearby river or stream outlets. If you spend time exploring shorelines in different regions, you may notice that the types and amounts of debris are different from place to place (and constantly changing!).

Monitoring Marine Debris

Posted Thu, 03/08/2018 - 11:00

We’re spending March talking all about marine debris and its types, sources, impacts, and solutions. Tune in throughout the month to learn more about this important topic and how we can all be part of the effort to make our lives and our ocean #DebrisFree.

How big is the marine debris problem? How has it changed over time? What types of debris are most common in my region? These are all important questions to ask when tackling the marine debris issue and to get the answers, we turn to marine debris monitoring.

The Marine Debris Monitoring Toolkit for Educators is Now Available!

Posted Thu, 08/24/2017 - 14:00

We are proud to announce the release of the Marine Debris Monitoring Toolkit for Educators, created through a collaborative effort between the NOAA Marine Debris Program (MDP) and the NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries. This Toolkit translates the MDP’s Marine Debris Monitoring and Assessment Project, a robust citizen science initiative, for classroom use. 

The Marine Debris Monitoring Toolkit for Educators is available for free download on the NOAA Marine Debris Program website.

The Monitoring “Get Started Toolbox” is One Year Old! krista.e.stegemann Thu, 06/01/2017 - 11:00

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.

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The United States of Trash: A Quantitative Analysis of Marine Debris on U.S. Beaches and Waterways krista.e.stegemann Mon, 01/09/2017 - 12:30

This week marks “Research Week” on our blog and we will be highlighting marine debris research projects throughout the week! Research is an important part of addressing marine debris, as we can only effectively address it by understanding the problem the best we can.

By: George H. Leonard, PhD, Guest Blogger and Chief Scientist for the Ocean Conservancy

Have you ever wondered how much trash is on U.S. beaches? So have we! At Ocean Conservancy, we have spearheaded the International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) for over 30 years and have collected data on the materials that are cleaned up each year. However, we haven’t done a rigorous, quantitative analysis of those data to provide a baseline by which to understand changes over time and spatial differences in marine debris across the U.S. The NOAA Marine Debris Program (MDP) has similarly monitored marine debris at a number of sites around the country, but also has not yet tried to rigorously evaluate what all the data mean. So, we have both teamed up with scientists Drs. Chris Wilcox and Denise Hardesty at Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) in Australia to bring the power of statistics to the problem.