NOAA Marine Debris Program

FY 2015 Accomplishments Report
Looking back on the 2015 Fiscal Year with the NOAA Marine 

Debris Program, I am proud of the work that we have achieved. 

We have removed significant amounts of debris from coastal 

waters, reached hundreds of students, brought together marine 

debris communities to help make tackling this issue a priority 

in coastal states, and funded research that has helped us to 

understand the science behind marine debris. We have made 

progress toward making our vision— an end to marine debris— a 

reality.

However, there is still a long way to go and we must continue 

to think about our future. Over the past year, I’ve had the 

opportunity to work with our team to chart the NOAA Marine 

Debris Program’s coming years. I’m excited to announce we have 

developed a strategic plan that will lead us to be more resilient 

to natural disasters, increase our understanding of marine debris 

sources and impacts through research, expand our education 

and outreach efforts across the nation, and target marine 

debris removal from our coastal waters -- all through improved 

coordination with partners. 

Looking to the future, I know the health of our ocean and coasts 

depends on us. Every action that we take, no matter how big or 

small, makes a difference. I’m proud of the efforts put forth by 

the Program and looking forward to its future achievements. 

I am pleased to present the NOAA Marine Debris Program’s 

accomplishments from 2015.

Nancy Wallace,

Director, NOAA Marine Debris Program

Strategic Plan 2

Removal 3

Prevention 13

Marine Debris on Exhibit 19

Trash Talk 20

International Planning Efforts 21

Regional Planning Efforts 21

Emergency Response 23

Research 25

Photo credits 27

Letter from the Director Table of Contents
The NOAA Marine Debris Program 

envisions the global ocean and 

its coasts free from the impacts of 

marine debris.

The mission of the NOAA Marine 

Debris Program is to investigate 

and prevent the adverse impacts of 

marine debris.

This year, the NOAA Marine Debris Program charted out a new multi-year strategic plan. 

The Program is poised to tackle marine debris challenges and to find solutions that help 

eliminate debris through proactive approaches through research, removal, prevention, 

emergency response, and coordination. Take a closer look at the Program’s goals for 

2016-2020.

NOAA Marine Debris Program Strategic Plan

Santa Barbara, CA

1 2
Of the 11.94 tons 

of debris that were 

removed, 1.12 tons 

were recycled or 

re-used. 

Kaho`olawe is the smallest of the eight main 

Hawaiian Islands, located just seven miles 

southwest of Maui. The island’s remoteness poses 

a challenge for marine debris removal. However, 

despite extremely difficult removal logistics, the 

Kaho`olawe Island Reserve Commission removed 

marine debris from three sites on the island.

6 major cleanups 

with 329 volunteers 

contributing 4,004

hours to help restore 

2.65 acres of 

shoreline.

All collected debris had 

to be helicoptered off 

Kaho‘olawe Island for 

removal!

Marine debris comes in all sizes, from a large vessel to the smallest microbead. Over the past year, 

the NOAA Marine Debris Program has funded projects that mitigate impacts and address the 

damage marine debris has caused to critical habitats such as salt marshes, mudflats and coral reefs. 

Here are some examples from 2015: 

The Bering Sea Region of Alaska is very remote and 

sparsely populated; several of the communities there 

have populations numbering only in the hundreds. 

The Sitka Sound Science Center worked with some of 

these communities to remove shoreline debris: 10,000 

pounds of mostly fishing nets and line over ten days 

at St. George Island, and 19,000 pounds of debris 

from roughly 45,000 yards of shoreline over 25 days at 

Savoonga on St. Lawrence Island.

REMOVAL

Restoring Critical Habitat in 

Remote Alaska Communities 

Marine Debris Removal from 

Kaho`olawe, Hawaii 

Alaska

Hawaii

3 4
3,758 bottle cap

1,469 plastic bottles

465 smaller nets 

were also collected, 

making for a total 

of 57 tons of 

derelict fishing gear 

removed.

The Papahānaumokuākea Marine National 

Monument (PMNM), located around the mostly 

uninhabited Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, is a 

World Heritage Site and one of the largest marine 

conservation areas in the world. It is home to 

more than 7,000 marine species, many unique 

to Hawaii, including endangered or threatened 

species such the green sea turtle or Hawaiian 

monk seal. Centrally located within the North 

Pacific Gyre, the PMNM is prone to marine debris 

accumulation that presents potentially lethal 

threats to numerous marine and avian species.

After a 33-day removal mission conducted by 17 

NOAA divers and additional crew including two 

Program staff aboard the NOAA Ship Oscar Elton 

Sette in October 2014, approximately 57 tons 

of derelict fishing nets and plastic debris were 

removed from the monument . NOAA has led this 

mission since 1996, removing a total of 904 tons of 

marine debris, including this year’s haul.

The “monster net,” 30

feet long - 

8 feet wide 

- 16 feet deep, weighed 

in at 11.5 tons and took 

NOAA divers 

4 days to cut 

into 4 parts in order to 2, 30 bring it on-board the ship. -foot 

derelict vessels, 

confirmed to be 

marine debris from 

the Japan tsunami 

were removed.

7,436 plastic fragments

3,758 bottle caps

1,469 plastic bottles

477 lighters

Northwestern Hawaiian Islands 

Marine Debris Removal

Hawaii

56
During the height of the salmon fishery in the Puget 

Sound, thousands of nets were lost or abandoned in 

the region. For thirteen years, the Northwest Straits 

Foundation worked to remove derelict fishing gear 

that has posed a threat to navigation safety and 

damaged critical marine habitat. The NOAA Marine 

Debris Program supported this long-term effort since 

2005. This year, we are proud to announce that the 

effort is complete.

A video was produced 

by Oregon Sea Grant to 

highlight this net removal 

project operation: https://

vimeo.com/92878422

Since the project 

began in 2002, the 

Northwest Straits 

Foundation removed 

more than 5,660

derelict fishing nets and 

3,800 shellfish pots 

from Puget Sound.

15 acres of marine habitat were restored.

120 nets that contained nearly 

18,100entangled animals were removed.

2.1tons of lead line were recycled.

8 Indian Tribes, and 750 scientists, resource 

managers, and policy makers were included in 

the effort to improve reporting and prevention of 

lost nets.

Large Derelict Fishing Net Removal in 

Puget Sound, Washington 

Washington

Volunteers camped for 

two weeks each near the 

beaches they cleaned 

and then carried all the 

debris they collected on 

their backs to a location 

accessible by vehicles for 

disposal.

Working with the Olympic National Park and the 

Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary, the 

Student Conservation Association removed marine 

debris from remote beaches not easily reached 

by volunteers during scheduled cleanups. Teams 

of local high school students and adult leaders 

covered 73 miles of the Olympic National Park 

coastline, removing over 5,200 pounds of debris of 

various types, which included food packaging, other 

consumer debris, and lost fishing lines and floats. 

With the help of the National Park Rangers, the teams 

hauled debris by foot to a collection point, sometimes 

miles away through rugged terrain. Additionally, 

students learned about marine debris and its impacts 

through hands-on lessons. 

Marine Debris Removal for the 

Olympic Coast in Northwest 

Washington 

78
During storm events, high volumes of trash and 

larger debris washes downstream from Mexico, 

threatening and degrading the Tijuana River 

Valley’s valuable ecological, cultural, recreational 

and economic resources. The Goat Canyon 

Sediment Basin, part of the Tijuana River Valley on 

the U.S. side of the Mexico Border, is a collection 

zone for sediment, trash and other pollutants 

carried in stormwater runoff. The Southwest 

Wetlands Interpretive Association and the Tijuana 

National Estuarine Research Reserve are working 

together to upgrade debris boom structures, 

educate students in Mexico about marine debris 

and its impacts on our coastal environment, and 

organize local volunteers to remove trash from the 

Tijuana River watershed. 

During a March 7, 2015 

cleanup,134 volunteers 

removed and prevented

5.5 metric tons of debris 

from entering the Pacific 

Ocean.

This year, derelict 

traps were removed 

at a rate of over 76 

traps per day.

Historically, the Long Island Sound was a thriving 

commercial fishing ground for catching lobsters. 

Today, thousands of derelict traps clutter the Sound’s 

floor, continuing to catch lobsters and other marine 

species, a process known as “ghost fishing.” In an 

effort to clear the waterways, the Cornell Cooperative 

Extension worked with commercial lobstermen to 

remove derelict lobster traps from the New York 

waters of Long Island Sound. This year, they removed 

1,752 traps during 23 days on the water.

Jamaica Bay is surrounded by densely populated 

commercial and residential populations of New York 

City. The region is also home to salt marshes, salt 

meadows, mud flats and aquatic habitats where fish 

spawn, feed, and grow to maturity. This year, the 

American Littoral Society (ALS) engaged community 

volunteers to remove 28 metric tons of debris from 

the critical habitat. Volunteers were also educated 

about marine debris impacts after cleaning the 

area, which will help prevent future marine debris 

accumulation.

Since the beginning 

of the project in 2014, 

more than 34 metric 

tons of debris have been 

removed from Jamaica 

Bay. ALS is targeting to 

remove 59 metric tons 

by June 2016. 

Tijuana River National Estuarine 

Research Reserve Marine Debris 

Clean-up and Reduction Program

Long Island Sound Deep Water 

Derelict Lobster Gear Assessment, 

Removal and Prevention 

Jamaica Bay Marine Debris Removal 

and Data-driven Prevention Pilot 

Project 

California

New York

9 10
The Charleston Harbor watershed is comprised of salt 

marshes, tidal basins, and rivers that are critical habitat 

for fish breeding and nurseries. Human impacts, 

including those from marine debris, have affected 

these essential resources in the region. This year, the 

South Carolina Sea Grant Consortium removed nine 

derelict vessels based on their proximity to sensitive 

habitats and resources in the region.

Volunteers from the Consortium 

collected and disposed of 10

tons of marine debris, primarily 

made up of unwanted fishing 

and boating gear, during a 

county-wide Clean Marine 

event this past April. 

Marine Debris Removal and 

Restoration of Essential Fish Habitats 

in the Charleston Harbor Watershed

The Intracoastal Waterway in Palm Beach County, 

Florida is part of the Everglades watershed, an area 

encompassed with salt marshes, seagrass beds, 

mangroves and oyster beds. Abandoned and derelict 

vessels are a common type of debris in this region 

and can often lead to habitat damage. Over the past 

year, LagoonKeepers.org has removed a total of seven 

derelict and sunken vessels, weighting more than 

145,000 pounds.

Environmental Action Initiative in 

Lake Worth, Florida 

49 kayakers and volunteers 

have supported this project 

through water clean-up efforts 

to remove debris, and by 

participating in outreach events 

about the local sources and 

impacts of marine debris.

South Carolina

Florida

11 12
Preventing marine debris is our first priority when it comes to finding solutions for this problem. For 

the past year, our education and outreach partners across the country have inspired thousands of 

people of all ages to become better ocean stewards. In 2015, the Program funded new curriculum 

development, outreach to teens, social marketing campaigns, teacher workshops, fisherman 

education, and hands-on cleanups to help stop debris at its source. Here are some examples from 

2015:

Students and teachers 

took a pre and post test 

to evaluate the program’s 

effectiveness. Results 

showed a dramatic 

increase in the children’s 

understanding of marine 

debris and its impacts.

Download the finalized 

web-based marine debris 

curriculum online at: 

http://oregoncoaststem.

oregonstate.edu/marinedebris-steamss 

Marine Debris Education and Action

Engaging Students in Marine Debris Efforts Utilizing 

a Comprehensive, Integrated STEAMSS Curriculum 

With its sandy beaches, rocky headlands and sea stacks, the Olympic Coast 

boasts incredible scenery and abundant marine wildlife in the Pacific Northwest. 

Unfortunately, like many other beach landscapes, marine debris plagues this 

shoreline. To help raise awareness in the local community, Feiro Marine Life Center, 

collaborating with Washington CoastSavers and Olympic Coast National Marine 

Sanctuary, conducted a marine debris workshop for sixteen teachers from schools in 

the Port Angeles area and along the Olympic Peninsula’s outer coast. They engaged 

additional teachers through beach cleanups reaching a total of 38 teachers and 886 

fourth and fifth graders. 

Marine debris curriculum plays an important role in helping teachers and students 

understand human impacts to our coastal resources. Oregon State University 

developed a web-based curriculum for 4th - 12th grade students. Aligned to Science, 

Technology, Engineering, Art, Math, and Social Studies (STEAMSS) standards, the 

curriculum covers four categories: marine debris composition and abundance, 

sources and transport, impacts, and solutions through hands-on experience. 

Over the course of the project, 20 teachers attended the workshop and more than 

1,600 students were reached.

PREVENTION

Port Angeles, WA Newport, OR

13 14
543 signatures were 

collected for the related 

“Pledge to Fight Trash,” 

sponsored by Ocean 

Conservancy, which 

shows strong support for 

change.

As part of this servicelearning project, 

students analyzed data 

and determined which 

neighborhoods require 

a behavior changing 

“intervention.”

Marine Debris - The Ocean and Me Talking Trash for Clean Oceans 

To develop ocean stewards, the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History took a 

multi-step outreach approach to engage local elementary schools, middle schools, 

high schools and tourists with hands-on education, classroom presentations, and 

community outreach at local businesses, hotels and events. 

The museum reached nearly 1,000 students through elementary school 

participation in “Marine Debris, the Ocean, and Me,” and through high school 

students’ presentations to middle school classrooms at 3 different area schools.

Understanding where marine debris comes from is essential to preventing trash 

in our waters. Salem Sound Coastwatch has put together a community-based 

campaign working with low income teens in Salem, Massachusetts to help raise 

awareness about how trash in their neighborhood trickles down the watershed 

and becomes marine debris. As part of this campaign, students participated in the 

“Talking Trash for Clean Oceans” Teen Leadership Project, a six-month-long servicelearning project, where they learned about marine debris and collected data in five 

local neighborhoods to determine quantity, sources and types of street trash.

Santa Barbara, CA Salem, MA

Washington, DC

Reducing Marine Debris by Targeting Youth and 

Teenage Litterers 

Youth and teenagers are more likely to litter. However, if they better understand the 

marine debris problem and their connection to creating it, they will be less likely to 

litter and more inclined to dispose of trash properly, ultimately preventing debris 

from entering our waterways. Using this philosophy, The Alice Ferguson Foundation 

(AFF) developed “Your Litter Hits Close to Home,” a marine debris prevention 

campaign to reach youth in Maryland, the District of Columbia and Virginia. As a part 

of this project, AFF enlisted students, teachers, and schools in Trash Free Schools, 

a program that conducts cleanups, delivers marine debris lessons, and aligns with 

local green school standards to reduce waste.

15 16

Lake Superior, WI

Lake Superior, the largest of the Great Lakes, has a ghost net problem. Part of this 

problem are storms, wind, shifting ice and waves that cause fishers to lose gill nets, 

a type of durable fishing net commonly used in the Lake Superior fishery. Once 

lost, the nets continue to drift beneath the water’s surface for years, impacting both 

the fishery and fishers’ livelihoods. University of Wisconsin Sea Grant and marine 

debris stakeholders in Wisconsin formed a partnership to address this issue. They 

developed an education and outreach plan to prevent gill net loss and reduce this 

threat to the Lake Superior fishery through workshops and outreach products.

Using Outreach and Education to Reduce Marine 

Debris and Fishing Net Loss in Lake Superior 

University of Wisconsin 

Sea Grant produced an 

educational video: Avoid 

the Trap: What Anglers 

Should Know about 

Commercial Fishing Nets. 

15
Virginia Department of 

Environmental Quality 

staff is designing 

and testing a social 

marketing strategy for 

alternatives to balloon 

releases. 

The “Current Collections” 

sculpture reached more 

than 25,000 people 

at the Fourth Annual St. 

Petersburg, Florida Science 

Festival. The sculpture was 

also showcased in Atlanta’s 

Centennial Park.

Richmond, VA

Guánica, Puerto Rico

St. Petersburg, FL

People intentionally release balloons into the environment to celebrate events and 

commemorate special occasions. Unfortunately, balloon debris often ends up in 

streams, rivers and the ocean. Marine animals, such as sea turtles, frequently ingest 

these discarded balloons or become entangled by their strings, causing great injury 

and even death. The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality has developed 

a social marketing campaign to reduce balloon debris. Through formative research 

-- interviews, focus groups and surveys -- project staff will determine the underlying 

drivers of the balloon-release behavior and the barriers to using a different method 

of expressing emotions at important events. 

The University of South Florida and several other partners worked to change 

behaviors that contribute to the marine debris problem through their “Clean 

Community, Clean Coast” project. They engaged communities in St. Petersburg, 

Florida, where debris easily enters storm drains and releases out into local 

waterways, including beaches. The campaign was comprised of: 5 environmental 

awareness focus group forums with 47 middle schoolers, a professional 

development workshop for ten teachers, and community volunteers also used trash 

collected from debris cleanups to help create the 40-ft by 30-ft “Current Collections” 

art sculpture that reflects the movement of trash in our oceans.

In Puerto Rico, the Guánica-Río Loco Watershed filters down to nine 

beaches and feeds into one of the region’s well known coral reef 

ecosystems. It is also home to the endangered Puerto Rican Crested Toad 

and several sea turtle species. Debris on these beaches poses a threat to 

this critical habitat and wildlife. Working with ten local students, Protectores 

Cuencas Inc. has developed strategic education campaigns that include 

a photography contest and beach cleanups to help raise awareness and 

reduce marine debris impacts in their local communities. 

A Rising Concern: Reducing Balloon Release and 

Debris through a Social Marketing Campaign 

“Think before you drop it”: 

A Research-based Litter Reduction Campaign This project includes a 

puppet show by students 

for their schools to show 

how marine debris 

affects sea turtles and the 

endangered Puerto Rican 

Crested Toad.

Clean Community, Clean Coast 

17 18
The NOAA Marine Debris Program has collaborated with various NOAA partners to raise awareness 

about marine debris at local visitor centers across the nation. We have worked closely with National 

Estuarine Research Reserves, National Marine Sanctuaries and Sea Grants to develop marine debris 

exhibits that highlight local issues and showcase the marine debris problem our ocean and Great 

Lakes face today. Take a look at where these exhibits are located:

The NOAA Marine Debris Program and NOAA Ocean Today partnered to produce Trash Talk, a sixpart educational video series and special feature that encourages audiences to take action through 

a fun, fast-paced, deep-dive on marine debris that will inspire solutions and grow a movement. 

MARINE DEBRIS ON EXHIBIT VIDEO SERIES: TRASH TALK

How does marine debris impact the 

animals?

What is the Great Pacific Garbage Patch?

Where does marine debris come from?

Why is plastic marine debris so common?

What can we do about marine debris?

San Francisco Bay NERR

Stellwagen Bank NMS

Great Bay NERR

Lake Superior NERR

Mokupapapa Discovery 

Center

Tijuana River NERR

Week’s Bay NERR

Ohio Sea Grant

What is marine debris? 

19 20
The Marine Debris Program continued efforts to implement actions outlined in the completed Great 

Lakes and Hawaii Marine Debris Action Plans, and to help support the state-developed Virginia plan. 

This year, advanced planning efforts began in Florida and the Mid-Atlantic regions. 

In the southeastern states of North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia, state and local 

stakeholders continued to make progress on local actions to reduce debris. In Florida, the Program 

hosted a second meeting with state and local decision makers including non-governmental 

organizations to refine a state-wide plan to reduce debris. 

Marine debris ends up in the ocean every day as 

a result of littering and poor waste management, 

but occasionally, large amounts enter nearshore 

coastal waterways all at once, especially during 

natural disasters. Abandoned and derelict vessels, 

construction and demolition debris, and household 

hazardous waste are just a few of the types of marine 

debris we find in waterways after a disaster. This debris 

can be a hazard to navigation, damage habitat, and 

pose pollution threats.

In an effort to increase preparedness for acute marine 

debris events in Alabama, the NOAA Marine Debris 

Program partnered with eight federal agencies, nine 

state agencies and two local counties to develop the 

Alabama Incident Waterway Debris Response Plan 

and Field Guide. As part of this project, NOAA worked 

with the Alabama Department of Conservation and 

Natural Resources to host a multi-agency workshop 

to identify existing response capabilities and receive 

feedback on what partner agencies would like to see 

in a response plan for marine debris. Alabama’s plan 

is the first in a planned series of state plans intended 

to improve preparedness and facilitate a coordinated, 

well-managed and immediate response to this type of 

marine debris. 

REGIONAL PLANNING EFFORTS

EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLANNING

Alabama Emergency Response Plan

This past year, the NOAA Marine Debris Program 

contributed to international marine debris prevention, 

reduction and research efforts conducted through the 

G7 nations. Currently led by the German government, 

the G7 nations of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, 

the United Kingdom and the United States are working 

together to address marine debris from land and 

sea sources. The leaders of G7 nations committed to 

specific and targeted actions within four major marine 

debris themes that address land-based sources, seabased sources, priority removal actions, and research/

education/outreach.

In 2015, the NOAA Marine Debris Program became the 

Chair of the United Nations Environment Programme’s 

Global Partnership on Marine Litter. This partnership, 

made up of international agencies, governments, 

businesses, academia and nongovernmental 

organizations around the world, is committed to 

reducing the impacts of marine litter on economies 

and ecosystems worldwide. 

This year, the partnership conducted several pilot 

projects in the South Pacific region, developed a 

Massive Open Online Course on marine debris, and 

facilitated a study to identify key sources of marine 

debris and the best available techniques to prevent 

the accumulation of microplastics in the marine 

environment. 

INTERNATIONAL PLANNING EFFORTS

21 22

G7 Summit United Nations Environmental Programme

Marine debris is a global problem and the NOAA Marine Debris Program has lent to international 

efforts to help find global solutions. 
More than four years have passed since the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan. Following 

this event, the Program worked with impacted states to determine where marine debris removal 

was needed. With a generous goodwill gift from the Government of Japan, NOAA worked with the 

five impacted states (HI, AK, WA, OR, CA) through formal agreements to remove and monitor debris. 

NOAA continues to work with states and local groups to address marine debris from the disaster that 

continues to wash up on U.S. shorelines.

In August, 3,400 super-sacks of marine debris, collected from remote and rugged beaches off of Alaska 

and British Columbia, arrived in Seattle, WA, to be sorted. This multi-year debris removal effort from 

across Alaska was coordinated by the Gulf of Alaska Keeper and funded in large part by a gift from the 

Government of Japan administered by NOAA and the State of Alaska. The debris, which was placed 

into large plastic bags called super-sacks and moved to a transport barge via helicopter, included 

everything from fishing nets, lines and buoys to consumer plastics and different kinds of foam. Over 

the course of three weeks, from the barge’s first pickup to its arrival in Seattle, helicopters made 1,154 

trips from shore to the boat. A diverse team collaborated to collect the debris including participants 

from the National Park Service, non-profit organizations, professional crews and volunteers from 

across the state.

Japan Tsunami Marine Debris Removal

During the 2012 hurricane season, Sandy inflicted severe damage to communities and coastal resources over 

large areas of the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast states, leaving a swath of destruction and large amounts of 

debris in the waters and marshes of affected states. This debris still poses hazards to navigation, commercial 

fishing grounds and sensitive ecosystems.

NOAA has been leading efforts with federal, state, and local partners to collect data, assess the debris, and 

reduce possible impacts to our natural resources and coastal communities.

Sandy-related debris removals are ongoing in New York City, Connecticut and Rhode Island. New York State 

completed the removal of large amounts of debris from parks, marshes and beaches on Long Island. New 

Jersey completed a large debris removal effort that removed seven vessels, including four houseboats, a 

submerged dock and other debris items from impacted wetlands. 

15.3 metric tons 

removed from 

Connecticut

272 tons 

removed from 

New Jersey

51 metric tons 

removed from 

New York City

23 metric tons 

removed from 

New York State

Sandy Debris Removal by States

13.6 metric tons 

removed from 

Rhode Island

376 

metric tons 

removed to date

New Jersey

Washington

EMERGENCY RESPONSE

23 24

Marine debris is an everyday problem, but natural disasters have the potential to make it worse. 

In 2015 the NOAA Marine Debris Program continued response efforts to debris resulting from two 

recent natural disasters on record that impacts our coastlines: the 2011 tsunami that struck Japan 

and Superstorm Sandy. 
Marine Debris Program-funded research allows us to identify, determine sources of, and 

assess the adverse impacts of debris so that we may forge ahead to find solutions through 

targeted prevention and reduction activities. This year, the Program supported a number of 

research projects that will help us answer questions surrounding the issue of microplastics, 

including developing methodologies for counting microplastic particles from surface water 

samples, identifying changes in the distribution of microplastics in water bodies over time, 

and determining how levels of land use within a watershed contribute to microplastic 

loadings. The Program also continued to add partners to our growing database of beach 

monitoring sites. 

The “Laboratory Methods for the Analysis of 

Microplastics in the Marine Environment” manual 

outlines step-by-step instructions to measure 

microplastics in marine environmental samples. 

The project aimed to streamline terminology and 

techniques used to assess microplastic concentrations 

and to develop laboratory procedures to quantify 

microplastic particles in marine surface waters, bed 

sediments and personal care products. 

Guidelines from this manual allow scientists and 

educators to follow simple, standardized techniques 

that are reproducible and robust without requiring 

extensive equipment. These methods can be easily 

adopted by groups around the world, and allow for 

comparison of results. The manual’s techniques can 

be used to calculate concentrations of microplastics 

using a variety of metrics, including per mass and per 

volume. These protocols are currently being used by 

academics and other governmental agencies in the 

United States.

The University of Maryland published results of a lab 

analysis of NOAA-collected surface-water samples 

from Chesapeake Bay tributaries. The analysis showed 

that population densities and urban/suburban land 

uses within watersheds are linked to surface-water 

microplastic concentrations. Furthermore, microplastic 

concentrations appeared to peak shortly after major 

rain events. These results support prioritization 

of upstream prevention efforts in urban locations 

and provide baseline data for developing effective 

prevention and management options.

The NOAA Marine Debris Monitoring and Assessment 

Project is an initiative to collect information on types 

and amounts of debris in the environment. Since the 

project’s inception in 2012, 176 shoreline sites have 

been monitored, 3,704 surveys have been entered into 

the database, and more than 40 partner organizations 

have been involved.

The program has partnered with two National Marine 

Sanctuaries on monitoring efforts with Sanctuary 

volunteers. The Greater Farallones National Marine 

Sanctuary has six shoreline sites and 140 completed 

surveys, and the Olympic Coast National Marine 

Sanctuary has eight shoreline survey sites with 528 

surveys completed. 

RESEARCH

Microplastics Monitoring

The NOAA Marine Debris Program partnered with the 

University of Washington through the Joint Institute 

for the Study of the Atmosphere and Ocean (JISAO) to 

analyze trawl samples collected by the Gulf of Alaska 

Integrated Ecosystem Research Program in the Gulf 

of Alaska in 2004, 2005, 2011 and 2013. This project 

aimed to use these samples to estimate the marine 

microplastic concentration in offshore areas and to 

investigate changes over time. Initial results show 

plastics in a majority of the analyzed samples. 

The Effect of Wind-Driven Mixing on Observations 

of Plastic Marine Debris: Modeling, Verification and 

Reanalysis

Researchers from the University of Washington through 

JISAO and the University of Delaware re-analyzed 

surface microplastic data and previously-collected wind 

and wave datasets from Sea Education Association 

(SEA) voyages in the North Atlantic Ocean to model 

and predict the concentrations of microplastics 

submerged in the water column. Results from this 

modeling study suggest that total microplastic marine 

debris concentrations are significantly underestimated 

by surface measurements alone. 25 26

Laboratory Methods for the Analysis of 

Microplastics in the Marine Environment 

Manual

Temporal Trend of Microplastics in the Gulf of 

Alaska 

Analysis of Microplastics from Chesapeake Bay 

Samples Marine Debris Monitoring
1. Koyanagi/ NOAA (Cover, top)

2. Salem Sound Watch (Cover, bottom left)

3. Northwest Straits Initiative (Cover, bottom, right-top)

4. Sustainable Coastlines Hawaii (Cover, bottom right-bottom)

5. Santa Barbara Natural History Museum (Page 2)

6. Sitka Sound Science Center (Page 3)

7. Kaho’olawe Island Reserve Commission (Page 4)

8. Koyanagi/ NOAA Marine Debris Program (Page 5, 6)

9. Student Conservation Association (Page 7)

10. Northwest Straits Initiative (Page 8)

11. Surfrider Foundation, San Diego (Page 9)

12. Cialino/ NOAA (Page 10, top)

13. American Littoral Society (Page 10, bottom)

14. Latshaw/ NOAA (Page 11)

15. LagoonKeepers (Page 15)

16. CoastSavers/ Feiro Marine Life Center (Page 13)

17. Oregon Sea Grant (Page 14)

18. Santa Barbara Natural History Museum (Page 18, top)

19. Great Lakes Indian Fish & Wildlife Commission (Page 18, bottom)

20. Salem Sound Coastwatch (Page 19, top)

21. Alice Ferguson Foundation (Page 20, bottom)

22. Blair Witherington FWC (Page 21, top)

23. Protectores Cuencas, Inc. (Page 21, bottom)

24. University of South Florida (Page 22)

25. San Francisco Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (Page 23, top left circle)

26. Chon/ NOAA (Page 23, bottom left circle)

27. Ohio Sea Grant (Page 23, top right circle)

28. NOAA (Page 20)

29. Global Partnership on Marine Litter (Page 21)

30. NOAA (Page 22)

31. Murphy/ NOAA (Page 23)

32. Ohrel/ NOAA (Page 24)

33. Chesepeake Bay Program, Will Parsons (Page 25)

34. National Park Service (Page 26)

NOAA Marine Debris Program

Office of Response and Restoration

National Ocean Service

October 2015

27

We’ve made great advancements in FY2015 and are excited to see what the new year will 

bring. You can find our latest projects and ways to get connected with the program by 

visiting us online: www.MarineDebris.noaa.gov.

Photo credits