NAT OI NAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRAT OI N

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Accomplishments Report

Marine Debris Program

NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION 2017
2

Table of Contents

Letter from the Director3

2017 By the Numbers4

Marine Debris Program Regions5

Great Lakes6

Northeast7

Mid-Atlantic8

Southeast9

Florida & the Caribbean 10

Gulf of Mexico 11

California 12

Pacific Northwest 13

Alaska 14

Hawaii & the Pacific Islands 15

Research 16

Education 18

Looking Ahead 19

Photo Credits 21
3

Director, NOAA Marine Debris Program

Nancy Wallace

I look forward to the future as our program continues work to live up 

to our role as the U.S. federal lead to address marine debris. We will 

continue these efforts and our work to engage with federal, state, 

and local governments and agencies; tribes; non-governmental 

organizations; academia; and industry to tackle marine debris 

issues, further elevating the importance of this topic throughout 

the country and globally.

These efforts are important steps toward our ultimate goal of 

preventing the impacts of marine debris. Although there is still 

a lot of work to be done to reach that goal, I am proud of the 

accomplishments we have achieved this year, and am optimistic 

for the future. I am happy to present the NOAA Marine Debris 

Program’s accomplishments from 2017.

Throughout this past fiscal year, the NOAA Marine Debris Program 

has continued to work toward our vision of the global ocean and 

its coasts free from the impacts of marine debris. I am proud of 

what we have accomplished and am excited for the future of our 

program. Guided by our strategic plan and five program pillars—

prevention, removal, research, emergency response, and regional 

coordination—we have worked to advance our efforts to address 

marine debris. In just the past year and with the help of many 

partners, our program has seen the development of several new 

educational resources, reached thousands of students and teachers 

with marine debris messaging, removed hundreds of metric tons 

of debris from our shores and coastal areas, completed several 

research projects and funded others to expand our knowledge 

of the marine debris issue, and facilitated the completion of 

emergency response guides and marine debris action plans for 

several coastal states.

Letter from the Director
4

More than

18,300 students

reached

3 Marine Debris 

Emergency Response 

Guides created for South 

Carolina, Georgia, and 

Mississippi

42 new 

survey sites added 

to the Marine Debris 

Monitoring and 

Assessment Project

More than

1,600 metric tons

of marine debris 

removed

2017 By the Numbers

More than

1,800 teachers

reached

Responded to debris from

3 hurricane events: 

Harvey, Irma, and Maria.
5

Marine debris impacts every U.S. coastal state, territory, and the Great Lakes. In order to address it, the NOAA Marine Debris Program 

(MDP) works around the country to provide local expertise and guidance to marine debris stakeholders, support numerous prevention 

and removal projects through our competitive grants, and respond to severe marine debris events. There are ten MDP regions in the 

coastal U.S. and Great Lakes. Some of this year’s most successful efforts within each of the MDP’s regions are highlighted in this report.

Marine Debris Program Regions
6 Schools

have adopted marine 

debris lessons and 

set up recycling 

programs

The School District of the City of Erie is 

leading a district-wide education and 

outreach effort to reduce land-based 

sources of marine debris by combining 

their science curriculum with stewardship 

activities. During the first year of this 

project, 960 elementary school students 

have learned about marine debris and 

watersheds, and worked to develop 

programs to reduce debris in Erie schools 

and the surrounding community.

Preventing Land-based Debris in 

Pennsylvania

Removed a 

2.3-metric ton

derelict sailboat

Abandoned and derelict vessels (ADVs) 

can be hazardous to navigation, leach 

harmful chemicals into the surrounding 

environment, and damage sensitive 

habitats. The BoatU.S. Foundation, with 

the aid of TowBoatU.S. and local marina 

operators, removed an abandoned and 

derelict sailboat that was impacting 

local habitats and species from Lake Erie 

tributary waters in Toledo, OH. 

ADV Removal in Lake Erie

The Great Lakes Marine Debris Collaborative

was created through the NOAA Office of 

Response and Restoration DIVER platform 

as on online space for coordination among 

marine debris partners. This portal will act 

as a foundation for all things marine debris 

in the Great Lakes region, where partners 

can communicate and share resources, 

events, and funding opportunities.

Great Lakes Marine Debris Online 

Collaboration

6

Great Lakes
Over 200 

lobster traps were 

removed

52 Students

were engaged 

through marine 

debris lessons

4.5 metric tons 

of fishing gear were 

removed

The Center for Coastal Studies worked with 

commercial and recreational fishermen to 

locate and remove derelict fishing gear of 

all kinds from Cape Cod and Massachusetts 

Bays, retrieving and properly disposing of 

over 4.5 metric tons of debris.

Fishing for Derelict Gear in 

Massachusetts

Hudson River Community Sailing worked 

to inspire high school students in New 

York City to be stewards of the Hudson 

Estuary through marine debris lessons, 

cleanup activities, and the creation of a 

public educational display. 

Inspiring Youth Stewards in NYC

7

Northeast
1,026

students engaged 

in cleanups 

and prevention 

activities

Community Leadership to 

Prevent Urban Debris 

In Baltimore, MD, the National Aquarium 

worked with local communities to learn 

about resident behaviors that potentially 

contribute to generation of marine debris, 

identify barriers to behavior change, and 

develop messaging techniques to prevent 

litter and debris. By working to instill 

debris prevention as a visible community 

norm and empower community members 

to lead this effort, the Aquarium aimed to 

achieve lasting behavior change.

Over 1,200

derelict crab pots 

were removed from 

Barnegat Bay

The Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New 

Jersey removed derelict crab pots from 

Barnegat Bay. They are continuing this work 

by collaborating with the Marine Academy 

of Technology and Environmental Science 

and the fishing community to find and 

remove derelict pots and collect data on 

bycatch. 

Removing Derelict Crab Pots to 

Reduce Bycatch

8

Mid-Atlantic
72

fishermen were hired 

to remove pots in 

2017

4,304

derelict crab pots 

were collected across 

North Carolina

Self-sustaining Derelict Crab Pot 

Retrieval Program

The North Carolina Coastal Federation 

worked to expand a fishermen-led crab pot 

recovery pilot project into a self-sustaining 

derelict crab pot retrieval program. With 

funding from the NOAA MDP and the North 

Carolina General Assembly to support 

statewide crab pot removals, three times 

the number of fishermen were hired and 

four times the number of derelict pots 

were removed from state waters compared 

to the prior year. 

The South Carolina Incident Waterway 

Debris Response Guide and the Georgia 

Marine Debris Emergency Response Guide

were created to improve preparedness for 

response and recovery operations following 

an acute waterway debris incident. These 

guides serve as a comprehensive reference 

for marine debris emergency response in 

South Carolina and Georgia.

Response Guides for the 

Southeast

Students 

removed over

1,500

debris items from 

local marshes

University of Georgia Marine Extension 

and Georgia Sea Grant worked with 

middle school students and teachers at 

Glynn Middle School in Brunswick, GA, to 

reduce marine debris in a nearby coastal 

marsh. The school’s environmental club, 

the Salt Marsh Soldiers, participated in 

monthly cleanups to remove debris from 

sensitive marsh habitat. In addition, guest 

speakers visited seventh-grade classes 

quarterly with hands-on lessons about 

marine debris. 

Salt Marsh Soldiers Tackle Marsh 

Debris

9

Southeast
Using Research for Ecosystem 

Protection

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation 

Commission converted ten years of 

scientific research on derelict lobster 

traps into practical knowledge to inform 

the public and fishing community. This 

education campaign aimed to change 

behaviors leading to the reduction of 

derelict lobster traps and associated 

debris.

Over 3,000

volunteers participated 

in removal and 

education events

36.7 

metric tons

of debris were 

removed from 

Puerto Rico’s San 

Juan Bay

The Scuba Dogs Society, Inc. recruited over 

3,000 local volunteers to remove 36.7 metric 

tons of marine debris from 998 acres of 

habitat in Puerto Rico’s San Juan Bay Estuary, 

including large debris such as washing 

machines, refrigerators, and large car parts. 

Local communities were empowered to 

gain the tools and knowledge needed to 

develop sustainable initiatives that help to 

prevent litter and marine debris. 

Community Engagement in 

Marine Debris Removal

The Florida Marine Debris Reduction 

Guidance Plan was created to provide 

recommended strategies and actions 

towards reducing the impact and amount 

of marine debris in Florida. Stakeholders 

in Florida are already using the Plan to 

aid in improving the health of Florida’s 

waterways and natural resources, such as 

coral reefs. 

Florida Marine Debris Reduction 

Guidance Plan

10

Florida & the 

Caribbean
50.8 metric tons

of debris were removed 

from Galveston Bay

The Galveston Bay Foundation removed 

large marine debris items, including 

abandoned and derelict vessels, from 

areas of Galveston Bay. This project aimed 

to enhance marsh and open water habitats 

for fisheries production, improve water 

flow, allow safer access to open water 

areas, and improve the Bay’s appearance 

for all citizens.

Removal to Enhance Galveston 

Bay Habitat

The Mississippi Marine Debris Emergency 

Response Guide was created to improve 

preparedness for response and recovery 

operations following an acute waterway 

debris incident in Mississippi. The guide 

serves as a comprehensive reference for 

marine debris emergency response in 

Mississippi.

Mississippi Marine Debris 

Emergency Response Guide

Almost 2,000

students participated in 

marine debris removal 

activities

15 

professional

development 

programs conducted 

for teachers

Marine Debris Education in 

Coastal Mississippi

Ship Island Excursions worked with 

underrepresented and underserved 

schools within three coastal counties 

of Mississippi to deliver marine debris 

educational programs, including teacher 

professional development, classroom 

instruction for students, and field trips 

to participate in marine debris removal 

activities. In addition, they worked with 

the Gulf Coast Research Lab to educate 

passengers about marine debris aboard 

ferry boats to Ship Island.

11

Gulf of Mexico
More than

34 metric tons

of debris were 

removed

More than

$46,000

earned by fishermen 

retrieving gear

More than

750 crab pots

were collected by 

fishermen

The SeaDoc Society at the University 

of California, Davis, the Humboldt 

Fishermen’s Marketing Association, and 

the Commercial Fishing Association of 

Bodega Bay established a port-based, 

fishermen-led commercial fishing gear 

recovery and recycling effort on the 

Northern California Coast. The California 

Whale Protection & Crab Gear Retrieval 

Act, signed in September 2016, builds 

upon this successful pilot project by 

initiating a state regulatory program with 

incentives for fishermen to retrieve lost 

Dungeness crab fishing gear.

Fisherman-led Dungeness Crab 

Gear Recovery

Participating 

businesses saved an 

annual average of 

$6,000

65 restaurants

engaged in the 

project

After

Before

Clean Water Fund’s ReThink Disposable 

Project educated the take-out food 

industry and its customers about the 

benefits of reducing food and beverage 

packaging to prevent marine debris and 

save businesses money. They partnered 

with over 12 San Francisco Bay Area 

businesses to conduct audits and identify 

non-disposable alternatives and strategies 

to reduce the use of single-use food and 

beverage packaging. 

Preventing Take-out Restaurant 

Debris 

12

California
The Oregon Marine Debris Action Plan

(OR MDAP) was created as a compilation 

of recommended strategies and actions 

to prevent, research, and remove marine 

debris in Oregon. In order to prioritize 

marine debris research for the state, the 

NOAA MDP, Oregon Sea Grant, and marine 

debris stakeholders held the OR MDAP 

Research Priorities Workshop.

Oregon Marine Debris Action Plan 

and Research Workshop

The Task Force 

removed a

70.8-metric ton 

abandoned and 

derelict vessel

ADV Task Force in Oregon

In Coos Bay, OR, the Oregon State Marine 

Board and the Oregon Department of 

State Lands removed the F/V Western 

in January 2015. Bi-monthly monitoring 

for environmental recovery is expected 

to continue for one year following the 

vessel’s removal. An ADV Task Force was 

also initiated to identify strategies to 

prevent commercial fishing vessels from 

becoming marine debris and create an 

inventory of current vessels that need to 

be removed. 

13

Pacific Northwest
Derelict Crab Pot Cleanup and 

Retrieval 

In Juneau, AK, the Douglas Indian 

Association surveyed, mapped, and 

removed derelict crab pots in the waters 

off Douglas Island. A post-removal tribal 

council meeting reflected on lessons 

learned from the project, the best 

applications for the data collected, and 

how to move forward in addressing 

derelict fishing gear.

11 schools

carried out zerowaste activities

Over 550

students participated 

in the zero-waste 

campaign

The Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies 

has worked to educate students and 

community members on the issue and 

impacts of marine debris in order to change 

behaviors and reduce the introduction 

of debris. Schools from across the Kenai 

Peninsula and into Anchorage have 

participated in a zero-waste campaign in 

which they catalog and measure waste, 

and design changes tailored to what they 

discover. 

Stewards Targeting Ocean 

Problems (S.T.O.P) Marine Debris

14

Alaska
More than

48 metric tons

of waste were 

collected in the 

recycling bins

20 recycling 

bins

installed on the 

island

The Mariana Islands Nature Alliance 

worked to reduce littering and illegal 

dumping in Saipan by providing mixedwaste and recycling bins, conducting 

shoreline cleanups, and raising awareness 

about littering and marine debris through 

education and outreach. With help from 

bilingual teachers, they created classroom 

materials and a film in their native 

language on local marine debris issues to 

be used in public classrooms throughout 

the school year.

Creating a Culture of Recycling in 

Saipan

The NOAA MDP and University of Hawai‘i 

at Mānoa hosted the first Hawai’i Marine 

Debris Action Plan Research Workshop

at the University of Hawai‘i on O‘ahu. 

The purpose of this workshop was to 

determine the current state of knowledge, 

deficiencies, and capacity of stakeholders 

in the state to further the regional 

understanding of marine debris.

Hawai’i Marine Debris Action Plan 

and Research Workshop

78 PSAs

run to engage Maui 

county residents and 

tourists

More than 

200,000

people reached 

through the outreach 

campaign

Tobacco-Free Beaches Public 

Awareness Campaign

The Pacific Whale Foundation launched 

a public awareness campaign to inform, 

educate, and involve the public in marine 

debris awareness and policy in an effort 

to reduce the number of cigarette butts 

found on beaches in Maui, HI. They created 

educational materials, public service 

announcements, press releases, and held 

several small-scale cleanups on public 

beaches to engage Maui County tourists 

and residents in the issue of cigarette litter.

15

Hawaii & the 

Pacific Islands
Effects of Derelict Fishing Gear in 

the Chesapeake Bay

A team of diverse researchers led by Global 

Science & Technology, Inc., completed 

a study to assess the impact of lost and 

abandoned crab pots on both wildlife and 

the economy in the Chesapeake Bay. The 

study found that by removing derelict 

pots in active fishing areas, harvest of 

blue crabs could increase by 23.8 percent 

(38 million pounds), which translated 

to $33.5 million over the study period. 

A Guiding Framework was produced for 

derelict fishing gear assessments, which 

can be applied to other trap fisheries and/

or regions.

Quantification of Microplastics on 

National Park Beaches

In a coordinated effort with the National 

Park Service and Clemson University, 

researchers investigated the abundance 

and distribution of microplastics on 

National Park beaches. In this “snapshot 

study,” the highest concentrations of 

microplastics and microfibers were 

observed at individual beaches in the 

Great Lakes and Pacific Islands, and were 

even found in remote areas of Alaska.

16

Research into marine debris helps to inform unanswered questions and build our understanding of debris sources, drivers, and impacts. 

This year saw the completion of marine debris research on the quantification and distribution of marine debris, the cost of marine 

debris to industry, and the final chapter in a marine debris topic series.

Research
Status of Marine Debris on U.S. Shorelines

The Ocean Conservancy, together with the 

Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research 

Organisation (CSIRO), analyzed data sets from their 

30-year International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) efforts, as 

well as five years of data from NOAA’s Marine Debris 

Monitoring and Assessment Project, and the CSIRO 

marine debris shoreline monitoring protocol. The 

study estimated that 20 million-1.8 billion pieces of 

marine debris can be found along the U.S. coast, with 

plastic fragments and cigarette butts dominating the 

NOAA and ICC data sets, respectively. In addition, 

urban population centers had higher debris loads, 

while states with beverage container legislation had 

a smaller percentage of beverage container debris.

Microplastics in the Mississippi River

Scientists from Texas A&M University Corpus Christi 

collected water samples from 11 locations along 

the Mississippi River to quantify and characterize 

microplastic debris that may eventually flow into 

the Gulf of Mexico. Once microplastic particles are 

analyzed, this information will help inform future 

studies on impacts to aquatic organisms and sources 

of microplastics in the Gulf of Mexico.

Completed Series on Marine Debris Issues

The NOAA MDP completed a series of six topic 

papers on marine debris issues. This series explores 

the impacts of marine debris on wildlife from ghost 

fishing, ingestion, and entanglement, as well as its 

impacts to coastal and benthic habitats, the transport 

of marine debris throughout the ocean, and its 

potential to carry invasive species.

17

© HIHWNMS NOAA MMHSRP, permit #932-1489 2/7/2007
The MDP’s new educator e-newsletter works to keep 

formal and informal teachers up-to-date with the 

latest MDP educational resources. Sign up to receive 

the newsletter on our website.

Educator Newsletter

The Office of National Marine Sanctuaries and the 

NOAA MDP coordinated to produce the Marine 

Debris Monitoring Toolkit for Educators, a resource 

that adapts the MDP’s robust citizen science marine 

debris monitoring program for classroom use.

Monitoring Toolkit

Working with partners in different areas of the 

country, the MDP made three new curricula available 

to the public. These curricula, created by Washed 

Ashore, the Hawai‘i Wildlife Fund, and Nature’s 

Academy, all serve to educate students about marine 

debris and its solutions, and can be adapted for many 

different classrooms and age levels.

New Marine Debris Curricula

18

Education is an important part of working to prevent marine debris. The NOAA Marine Debris Program works to provide teachers, 

students, and communities around the country with resources to support marine debris education.

Education
19

Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute

Assessment of Plastic Marine Debris Export Mechanisms and 

Risk to Sea Scallop Fisheries of the Mid-Atlantic Bight.

Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution will assess the role 

of seasonal phytoplankton blooms in making microplastics 

more available to commercially-fished sea scallops, determine 

rates of ingestion of microplastics and identify subsequent 

impacts, and determine if microplastics serve as a means of 

transferring bacterial pathogens to sea scallops. Findings from 

these experiments will be incorporated into an ecological risk 

assessment to determine risk to sea scallop stock populations.

University of North Carolina at Wilmington

Microplastic Ingestion in the Black Sea Bass, Centropristis striata: 

An assessment of potential impacts on overall fish health via 

primary and secondary exposure.

University of North Carolina at Wilmington will conduct 

laboratory experiments designed to examine the transfer of 

microplastics and associated contaminants between prey and 

predator species and analyze the corresponding impacts to larval 

and juvenile black sea bass.

Arizona State University

A Screening-level Ecological Risk Assessment for Microplastics 

in Seafood in American Samoa.

Arizona State University will use a risk assessment framework to 

quantify microplastics in water, sediment, and locally-consumed 

bivalves at three sites in American Samoa, determine the types 

and concentrations of organic contaminants associated with the 

microplastics, and estimate relevant toxicological thresholds to 

assess ecological risk from microplastics

University of Connecticut

Selective Ingestion of Microplastics by Oysters: Exposure 

assessment as a predictive tool for assessing the environmental 

risk to commercially important bivalves.

The University of Connecticut will conduct laboratory studies to 

determine the effects of microplastic consumption on oysters, 

and develop a model to predict which types of microplastics are 

ingested versus rejected by the oysters.

Research

Save Our Shores

Hotspot Large-scale Debris Removal from the Monterey Bay 

National Marine Sanctuary.

Save Our Shores will organize volunteer cleanups both from land 

and water to remove debris from three waterways leading into 

the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary in Monterey, CA, 

and conduct education programs in schools and outreach with 

communities adjacent to their target waterways. 

Pacific Coastal Research & Planning

Removal of the Derelict Fishing Vessel F/V Lady Carolina from the 

Reef of the Saipan Lagoon.

Pacific Coastal Research and Planning will work with a contractor 

to remove an 83-foot derelict fishing vessel that is grounded in 

and damaging sensitive coral reef habitat in the Port of Saipan of 

the Northern Mariana Islands. 

Makah Indian Tribe of the Makah Indian Reservation

Removal of Sunken Derelict Vessels from Neah Bay Marina.

The Makah Indian Tribe of the Makah Indian Reservation will 

remove three derelict fishing vessels from Neah Bay, WA. 

County of Prince George

Trash Removal Project in the Anacostia River Watershed.

The County of Prince George will install two floating litter traps 

in the Anacostia River in Maryland to reduce the debris loads 

flowing downstream towards the Potomac River and eventually 

the Chesapeake Bay. 

Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey, Inc.

Identification and Retrieval of Derelict Crab Pots to Reduce 

Bycatch of NOAA Trust Resources in Barnegat Bay, New Jersey: 

Phase Two.

Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey, Inc. will survey, map 

and remove derelict crab pots in New Jersey’s southern coastal 

bays, building off of the success and lessons learned from a 

previously-funded NOAA Marine Debris Program grant.

Island Trails Network

Kodiak Marine Debris Removal & Monitoring Project.

Island Trails Network will work with community volunteers 

and students to remove debris along a stretch of coastline on 

Northeastern Kodiak Island, AK. 

Cleveland Metroparks

Debris Removal at Cleveland Metroparks Euclid Beach Park.

Cleveland Metroparks will remove concrete slabs and metal from 

Euclid Beach Park on the shores of Lake Erie and will conduct 

accompanying volunteer beach cleanups. 

Mobile Baykeeper Inc.

Moving Toward a Litter-free Mardi Gras.

Mobile Baykeeper Inc. will assess, remove, and monitor debris in 

One Mile Creek, in Mobile, AL, while increasing awareness about 

the issue with a campaign targeted toward the City of Mobile’s 

Mardi Gras celebration.

Cornell Cooperative Extension Association of Suffolk County

Central Long Island Sound Derelict Lobster Gear Assessment, 

Removal and Prevention.

The Cornell Cooperative Extension Association of Suffolk County 

will continue their successful and long-running efforts to remove 

and quantify the extent and distribution of derelict lobster gear by 

removing derelict gear debris in the New York and Connecticut 

waters of Long Island Sound.

North Carolina Coastal Federation, Inc.

AquaDebris: Site Restoration and Habitat Recovery Assessment 

of Shellfish Aquaculture in North Carolina.

North Carolina Coastal Federation, Inc. will remove aquaculture 

debris from sensitive coastal habitats near Harkers Island, NC, 

and develop a set of best management practices for prevention, 

removal, and disposal of aquaculture debris.

The Camden County Municipal Utilities Authority

Debris Removal to Establish Living Shoreline in Camden, NJ.

The Camden County Municipal Utilities Authority will remove 

marine debris, largely in the form of concrete rubble, from the 

shoreline and surrounding waters of an industrial waste site in the 

City of Camden, NJ. 

Removal

The NOAA MDP is looking forward to launching 15 newly-funded removal and research initiatives. Here is a look at the year ahead:

Looking Ahead
6th

INTERNATIONAL

MARINE DEBRIS

CONFERENCE

Innovation. Collaboration. Action.

NOAA will co-host the 6IMDC, March 12-18, 2018, 

in San Diego, California. This conference will build 

upon past successes and share innovative ideas for 

advancing progress in the areas of marine debris 

prevention, education, reduction, and research. 

The 6IMDC will focus on best practices, current 

research, practical solutions, and opportunities 

for strengthening partnerships, international 

cooperation, and cooperation with industry. Sign 

up to receive updates about the conference at: 

http://internationalmarinedebrisconference.org/

Sixth International Marine Debris 

Conference (6IMDC)

20
21

24. Galveston Bay Foundation (Bottom 

Right, Page 11)

25. Clean Water Fund (Left, Page 12)

26. SeaDoc Society (Right, Page 12)

27. Oregon Sea Grant (Left, Page 13)

28. SOLVE (Right, Page 13)

29. Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies 

(Left, Page 14)

30. Douglas Indian Association (Right, 

Page 14)

31. Pacific Whale Foundation (Left, Page 

15)

32. NOAA (Top Right, Page 15)

33. Mariana Islands Nature Alliance 

(Bottom Right, Page 15)

34. Kalaupapa National Historic Park (Left, 

Page 16)

35. Matthew Stewart, Virginia Institute of 

Marine Science (Right, Page 16)

36. © HIHWNMS NOAA MMHSRP, permit 

#932-1489 2/7/2007 (Left, Page 17)

37. Hasenmueller, Saint Louis University 

(Middle, Page 17)

38. NOAA (Right, Page 17)

39. Hawai’i Wildlife Fund (Left, Page 18)

40. Michael Wing, Sir Francis Drake High 

School (Middle, Page 18)

41. Malisa L., Grade 8, Hawaii (Right, Page 

18)

42. NOAA (Page 20)

43. NOAA (Page 21)

1. NOAA (Cover)

2. NOAA (Page 2)

3. NOAA (Page 3)

4. NOAA (Top Left, Page 4)

5. NOAA (Bottom Left, Page 4)

6. Andy Stein, WeatherNation, Denver, 

CO (Top Right, Page 4)

7. School District of the City of Erie 

(Middle Right, Page 4)

8. NOAA (Bottom Right, Page 4)

9. NOAA (Top Left, Page 6)

10. NOAA (Bottom Left, Page 6)

11. School District of the City of Erie 

(Right, Page 6)

12. Center for Coastal Studies (Left, Page 

7)

13. Hudson River Community Sailing 

(Right, Page 7)

14. Emily Heiser (Left, Page 8)

15. Pat Venturino (Right, Page 8)

16. University of Georgia (Left, Page 9)

17. Peter Kingsley-Smith, South Carolina 

Department of Natural Resources (Top 

Right, Page 9)

18. North Carolina Coastal Federation 

(Bottom Right, Page 9)

19. Jennifer L. McGee (Top Left, Page 10)

20. Scuba Dogs Society (Bottom Left, Page 

10)

21. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation 

Commission (Right, Page 10)

22. Hanna Miller, University of Southern 

Mississippi (Left, Page 11)

23. NOAA (Top Right, Page 11)

Photo Credits
https://marinedebris.noaa.gov

NOAA Marine Debris Program

Office of Response and Restoration

National Ocean Service

October 2017

NAT OI NAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRAT OI N

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Wilbur L. Ross, Jr.

United States Secretary of Commerce

Benjamin P. Friedman

Deputy Under Secretary for Operations Performing the duties

of Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere

W. Russell Callender, Ph.D.

Assistant Administrator for Ocean Services

and Coastal Zone Management