2013 ACCOMPLISHMENTS REPORT NOAA MARINE DEBRIS PROGRAM

RESEARCH PREVENT REDUCE REMOVE EDUCATE TABLE OF CONTENTS

OVERVIEW 3 FROM THE DIRECTOR 4 REGIONAL HIGHLIGHTS NORTHEAST 5

SOUTHEAST AND CARIBBEAN 6

GREAT LAKES 7 8

ALASKA 10 WEST COAST 12 PACIFIC ISLANDS 14 RESEARCH 16 OUTREACH AND EDUCATION 19 SEVERE MARINE DEBRIS EVENTS 21 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 23

NOAA Marine Debris Program Office of Response and Restoration National Ocean Service National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration U.S. Department of Commerce Bottle caps, consumer debris, and other microplastics comprise the gut contents of this decesaed albatross found in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands.

DECAYED ALBATROSS

OVERVIEW: NOAA MARINE DEBRIS PROGRAM ABOUT THE PROGRAM MARINE DEBRIS ACT: Marine debris is everyone’s problem. It REAUTHORIZATION affects everything from the environment In December 2012, Congress passed to the economy; from fishing and legislation reauthorizing the NOAA navigation to human health and safety; MDP. The new, amended Marine Debris from the tiniest coral polyps to giant blue Act largely preserved the program’s whales. mandates to research, prevent, reduce, and remove marine debris, but it The NOAA Marine Debris Program added a new core function: addressing (MDP) leads national and international severe marine debris events. The bill efforts to research, prevent, and reduce recognizes the need to address the the impacts of marine debris. Its staff, unusual amounts and types of marine which is positioned across the country, debris following events such as tsunamis supports marine debris projects in or hurricanes and NOAA’s critical role, partnership with state and local agencies, placing the program at the forefront of tribes, non-governmental organizations, coordination and scientific support for academia, and industry. The program these events. also spearheads national research efforts and works to change behavior in the public through outreach and education initiatives.

3 NOAA divers and staff work together to pull out derelict nets from Hawaiian waters around Midway Atoll.

MIDWAY ATOLL, HAWAI‘I

LEADING IN MARINE DEBRIS: FROM THE DIRECTOR

Last December, Senator Daniel Inouye that will be an information hub for the continued, and while the amount of of Hawai’i, a long time marine debris nation’s marine debris stakeholders. debris washing ashore was less than champion and driving behind Through it, we can hopefully inspire previous years, we were not short on this program’s existence, passed away. action. activity. In the regions where we focused In a speech before us in March 2011, these efforts, we saw amazing work he touted the Hawaiian tradition of Another major milestone came late in from our partners, and the outcome is “mālama,” meaning “to care for” the December , when Congress passed a bill an emerging marine debris response ocean and the land, and he emphasized reauthorizing our program. In addition community. the importance of working together to reaffirming our mandate to address to solve the marine debris problem. debris, the reauthorization also increased Marine debris removal projects, research Collaboration has always been the way our scope of work with a new core on plastics and detection, and education of the NOAA Marine Debris Program, and function to address “severe marine debris and outreach also continued – all that is how we spent our 2013, working events,” caused by natural disasters. through robust partnerships. I am very through that legacy he left us. proud to present the NOAA Marine These somber efforts to address natural Debris Program’s accomplishments from Many of our achievements this year disaster debris continued throughout the 2013, and I look forward to seeing what have either been a direct result of work year. We mobilized when Sandy swept we can accomplish in the new year, with our dedicated partners or through through the Northeast, devastating together. efforts to improve collaboration. In entire communities and leaving debris June, we launched the Marine Debris in its wake. The program’s response Clearinghouse, a unique online database to Japan tsunami marine debris also

2013 ACCOMPLISHMENTS REPORT Finding marine debris through research, outreach, and education, both nationally and regionally, is an every day task for the NOAA MDP. The program made great strides towards reducing, preventing, and raising awareness about the global debris issue in FY13. Here’s a look at a few highlights and some major accomplishments from this past year.

REGIONAL HIGHLIGHTS

LONG ISLAND SOUND DERELICT CRAB TRAP NORTHEAST DERELICT LOBSTER REMOVAL IN THE GEAR ASSESSMENT MULLICA RIVER GREAT REMOVAL AND BAY ESTUARY PREVENTION The Mullica River–Great Bay estuary, one In 2013, the NOAA MDP funded the of the most pristine East Coast estuaries, Cornell Cooperative Extension of drains approximately 353 square miles Suffolk County (CCE) through the NOAA of New Jersey’s pinelands and is an Community-based Marine Debris important resource for the region’s Prevention and Removal Grants Program commercial crabbers. Unfortunately, to remove abandoned lobster traps and boat traffic and powerful storms cause Ghost fishing occurs when lost or abandoned other fishing gear from the Long Island crabbers to lose many of their pots every fishing gear continues Sound. Derelict fishing gear can spend year. In 2013, NOAA MDP funded a two- to catch animals. years on the , “ghostfishing ” year project through Richard Stockton and damaging habitat as it settles. The College of New Jersey to conduct on-the- Lost pots have the gear can also compromise navigational ground, sustainable, community-based potential to ghostfish safety and damage fishing equipment derelict fishing gear removal efforts in for crabs, lobster, and other ecologically and boats. the region. Project leads used to important species such locate more than 1,500 crab pots in a as turtles, causing an Members of the Long Island 5-square-mile area and recovered 491 economic loss to the Lobstermen’s Association and CCE staff pots. Stockton College will continue fishery and habitat identified, located, and safely removed its removal efforts, improving recovery destruction. lost gear from the seabed. Fishers techniques and educating the local recycled the retrieved gear at Covanta, boating community on the impacts of a local recycling facility that turns old derelict fishing gear. fishing gear into a renewable energy source through the Fishing for Energy partnership (see page 23 – Fishing for Energy).

5 An entangled loggerhead turtle caught in an abandoned fishing net did not survive the marine debris.

SOUTHEAST AND CARIBBEAN

DERELICT NET REMOVAL IN SOUTH In the early spring of 2013, the NOAA MDP learned that an abandoned commercial fishing net was tangled around Tenneco Towers, an artificial in South Florida waters. The large monofilament net, with floats on top and lead at the bottom, posed a serious threat to divers and marine life that encounter the popular reef, located two miles offshore in Florida waters near the Miami-Dade and Broward county TENNECO TOWERS, FLORIIDA line.

The net had entangled fish and a loggerhead turtle. Local divers and BROWARD COUNTY resource managers were concerned WASTE REMOVAL that more marine life would be trapped if it was left underwater. The NOAA PROJECT MDP worked with federal, state and During the 1970s, 700,000 were local agencies to raise removal funds Tenneco Towers placed on Osborne Reef, located 1.3 and assess the net’s condition, develop was miles off the coast of Fort Lauderdale, safe removal plans, and coordinate its made from an old FL, in an effort to create additional fish Louisiana oil rig removal. That enduring partnership habitat. Over the years, tropical storms and placed offshore included the Florida Department to attract fish and and hurricanes mobilized the tires, of Environmental Protection, serve as a substrate damaging nearby existing coral reefs and Covanta Energy, Miami-Dade County for coral and other shorelines. In 2013, the NOAA MDP, along Environmental Resources Management, marine life. with local agencies, funded Broward the National Fish and Wildlife to put contract removal efforts. With Foundation, the National Save the Sea continued funding into 2014, the county Turtle Foundation, the U.S. Coast Guard, will contract SCUBA divers will work the U.S. Navy and the Wildlife Foundation to locate, remove, and dispose of tires of Florida. found at Osborne Reef.

2013 ACCOMPLISHMENTS REPORT Workshop participants view the Port of Cleveland’s cleanup vessels.

PORT OF CLEVELAND, OHIO

GREAT LAKES OHIO CLEAN MARINAS GREAT LAKES LAND-BASED DEBRIS PROGRAM ACTION PLANNING The Ohio Clean Marinas Program In May 2013, the NOAA MDP, in increases environmental stewardship partnership with the Alliance for the by educating boaters and marinas on Great Lakes and Old Woman Creek environmental laws and helping them National Estuarine Research Reserve, follow best management practices. This brought together a diverse group of year, the NOAA MDP worked with Ohio stakeholders to develop a strategic plan Clean Marinas to increase education on for addressing land-based marine debris marine debris by providing prevention – the first of its kind for the Great Lakes messaging, incorporating marine region. debris language into best management practices and boater tip sheets, and Representatives from federal, state distributing signage. The NOAA and local agencies, as well as non- MDP also helped Ohio Clean Marinas governmental organizations participated leverage a partnership with the BoatUS and identified five major goals: Foundation to place more than 20 Addressing science, policy, outreach and monofilament fishing line recycling bins education, impact reduction through at participating “Clean Marinas” sites. removal, prevention, and strategic partnerships. The group also identified specific actions under each goal and will finalize them in the new fiscal year.

7 GULF OF MEXICO

REMOVAL ON HORN ISLAND BARGE FLORIDA’S FORGOTTEN REMOVAL COAST Until recently, a large, dilapidated barge the underwater portions of the site are Florida’s “Forgotten Coast,” a stretch of jutted out of the water near Horn Island, underway. Now that the barge is gone, sandy, remote beaches east of Panama a thin barrier island off the coast of seagrass beds will hopefully return to the City provides ideal nesting sites for Mississippi. The partially submerged area. endangered sea turtles and shorebirds, barge created a to navigation thanks to its sparse human population. and adversely altered seagrass habitat, Unfortunately, storms have caused replacing seagrass beds with bare sand marine debris to accumulate in the substrate and preventing re-colonization area, threatening the nesting species. In of seagrass from nearby patches. 2013, with support from the NOAA MDP, The rusting, metallic barge remains the University of Florida led cleanups, potentially disrupted the habitats of preceding sea turtle nesting season, to an array of wildlife, including alligators, restore the habitat. The group mapped, herons, pelicans, ospreys, and other measured, and removed 3,500 pieces migratory birds. Seagrass beds are of debris, including small items such as essential habitat for species of conservation plastic bottle caps and cigarette butts to To promote ecological restoration, concern (e.g. sea turtles) the Gulf Islands National Seashore, large items such as propane tanks – all including fishes, shrimp, totaling about 45 tons. In the first phase, with support from the NOAA MDP, and crabs. Seagrass 175 volunteers cleaned 75 km of beach spearheaded a large collaborative effort improves water quality, on five different beaches. to assess and remove the sunken barge. dampens waves, and Removal operations began in August stabilizes sediment. With continued funding into 2014, the 2013, and a team from Gulf Stream University of Florida will craft outreach Marine Enterprises, Inc., contracted and education materials for the by the National Park Service, worked Northwest Florida community, continue tirelessly to remove the barge. The cleanups, and analyze data to determine team removed the majority of the potential debris impacts on this sensitive structure within the first few days of habitat. labor, and further operations to assess

2013 ACCOMPLISHMENTS REPORT A piece of an abandoned barge, along the north side of Horn Island, pokes above the water’s surface, posing a threat to navigation safety and impacting the seagrass beds on the seafloor.

HORN ISLAND, MISSISSIPPI

9 A large, weathered piece of wood debris along the Alaskan shoreline.

TENEKEE SPRINGS, ALASKA

TENAKEE SPRINGS PRIORITIZATION GOES ALL-IN ON Following the arrival of tsunami debris ALASKA from Japan in 2012, the NOAA MDP DEBRIS REMOVAL worked with the state to use debris Marine debris removal efforts across density data and impact assessments Alaska continued in 2013, with two to help the state rank beaches and groups funded to remove debris during allocate resources for future cleanups. the short Alaskan field season through The prioritization will remain a resource the NOAA Community-based Marine for future cleanup planning in the marine Debris Prevention and Removal debris community. The NOAA Grants Program. In Tenakee Springs, community-based a town of less than a 100 in Southeast removal grant is a GYRE EXPEDITION funding opportunity Alaska, residents used their own boats offered by the NOAA and a lot of ingenuity to clean over 35 The NOAA MDP participated in the MDP in cooperation miles of shoreline, removing nearly 3.5 GYRE project, an innovative effort led with the NOAA tons of debris. On the other side of the by the Alaska SeaLife Center that took Restoration Center. Gulf of Alaska, Island Trails Network put scientists, artists, and debris cleanup together a team of volunteers to clean experts on a seven-day expedition to the remote beaches of Tugidak Island, an experience and discuss the marine uninhabited island southwest of Kodiak debris problem on Alaskan shores. The Island known for its important seabird crew stopped at remote beaches and nesting habitat. Working out of a camp met with the partners that clean and in shifts, 13 volunteers removed an care for them, capturing scientific data estimated 25,000 pounds of debris from and artistic impressions along the way. 4.5 miles of shoreline. Findings from this expedition will be part of a 2014 marine debris exhibit at the Anchorage Museum, supported in part by the NOAA MDP.

2013 ACCOMPLISHMENTS REPORT Volunteers remove debris previously collected by National Park Service staff from Hallo Bay in Katmai National Park. The debris was transported to Seward for disposal, as there was nowhere to take it locally.

HALLO BAY, ALASKA

11 A Vessel Assist crew removes a derelict vessel from the sea floor in the waters surrounding the A-8 Anchorage site in San Diego Bay.

SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA

SAN DIEGO BAY WEST COAST ANCHORAGE VESSEL REMOVAL

Until 2008, A-8 Anchorage, a once free, 75 vessels and 700 pieces of debris, long-term anchorage site in San Diego totaling more than 175 tons. Side- Bay, provided a home for houseboats scan sonar images from the first two and a place for boaters to park vessels phases revealed additional debris in the for long periods of time. However, a surrounding area. Phase 3, conducted significant marine debris issue – derelict this year, continued the use of side-scan vessels, including sunken vessels An anchorage is an sonar in targeting debris area of a harbor abandoned at the site – prompted the areas. Volunteers removed 11 vessels where vessels can San Diego Board of Port Commissioners and nearly 1,000 pieces of debris from be anchored. to shut it down. Shortly after, the NOAA the 350 acre area surrounding the A-8 MDP funded a three-phase marine debris Anchorage. In total, these efforts resulted removal project, proposed by the San in the removal of more than 350 tons of Diego Unified Port District. debris from San Diego Bay.

In Phases 1 and 2, project leads at the port used side-scan sonar to assess the site and recruited volunteers to remove

2013 ACCOMPLISHMENTS REPORT DEBRIS REMOVAL AT WEST COAST POINT MOLATE BEACH GOVERNOR’S

With support from the NOAA MDP, San ALLIANCE MARINE Francisco Baykeeper removed roughly DEBRIS STRATEGY 100 tons of marine debris from Point Molate beach in Richmond, CA. The Creosote is a Since 2008, the NOAA MDP has debris was mostly creosote -treated widely used wood supported the West Coast Governor’s preservative in the wood pilings, which accumulated at the Alliance (WCGA), working closely United States. site over the course of several decades. with the WCGA Marine Debris Action Coordination Team, to draft a strategy Old piers and other maritime facilities Wood treated with in the area have broken down over time creosote is used that provides a framework to identify, and become the source of this debris. commercially in assess, prevent, and reduce marine railroad construction, debris. The program funded two of utility poles, docks, Volunteers spent 470 hours removing the three workshops needed to bring seawalls, and pier the team together to outline and draft the pilings and other debris. It helped pilings. restore and enhance the coastal habitat the strategy, and in June, the WCGA and facilitated the September 2013 Executive Committee approved it. re-opening of the park, which had been The strategy will serve as a baseline to closed for nearly 12 years. achieve debris reduction targets through removal and prevention efforts.

NORTHWEST STRAITS FOUNDATION DERELICT MARINE LIFE FOUND IN NET REMOVAL DERELICT NETS The Northwest Straits Initiative has removed derelict fishing nets from the Puget Sound for more than a decade. The nets, mostly monofilament gillnets lost during the height of salmon fishing in 1 52 harbor seal seabirds the sound, continue to indiscriminately entangle marine life and impact sea floor habitat. In 2013, the NOAA MDP funded a net removal project, coordinated by 279 fish the Northwest Straits Foundation and the Natural Resources Consultants. Over 100 days, divers removed 224 nets and 24 crab pots and restored 41 acres of habitat. 40,000+ invertebrates

13 A NOAA diver removes a pile of derelict fishing gear from the reefs in Midway Atoll, one of several atolls and islands of the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument and World Heritage Site.

MIDWAY ATOLL, HAWAI‘I

MIDWAY ATOLL DEBRIS REMOVAL IN PACIFIC MARINE DEBRIS HAWAI‘I SURVEY AND ISLANDS In August 2013, 35 volunteers removed REMOVAL EFFORT 491 pounds of nets and ropes and an additional 435 pounds of plastic floats, As part of an ongoing effort since 1996, tires, and fish trap parts, bottles, and trained NOAA divers with the NOAA general debris at the first Surfrider Kauai Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center’s Beach Cleanup and Net Patrol marine Ecosystem Division remove debris cleanup at Hanamaulu Beach. derelict nets and gear each year from Surfrider was one of six organizations the coral reefs and coastlines in the that received funding from the NOAA Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. In 2013, MDP and Hawai‘i Department of Land the effort, funded in part by the NOAA and Natural Resources to conduct MDP, focused on Midway Atoll. In total, cleanups. The nets and ropes were divers removed more than 13 metric tons adopted by Restore Kauai for reuse or of gear and plastics from the shoreline shipped to H-Power, courtesy of Matson and nearshore reefs. The crew also and Schnitzer Steel. collected shoreline debris data at three sites for a pilot accumulation rate study on derelict fishing gear as part of the NOAA MDP’s Marine Debris Monitoring and Assessment Project.

2013 ACCOMPLISHMENTS REPORT Microplastic collected from the ocean column. These small bits of plastics make up the majority of items found in the “Great Pacific Garbage Patch” where they float suspended in the water column.

MICROPLASTICS

15 RESEARCH

MARINE DEBRIS PLASTICS CLEARINGHOUSE In 2013, the NOAA MDP funded research In June 2013, the NOAA MDP launched through the University of Maryland to the Marine Debris Clearinghouse, an analyze samples the program collected online database that will serve as the during surface trawls in the Chesapeake federal government’s information hub for Bay. The researchers found microplastics Understanding the impacts of marine debris stakeholders. This resource in almost all of the samples, proving plastics, especially benefits the nation’s coastal managers, that an analytical quantification technique developed by the University microplastics, on the researchers, and communities as they marine environment of Washington Tacoma and the NOAA work to study and mitigate marine debris is crucial to seeking and its impacts. MDP works, and further confirming that solutions to reduce microplastics are a problem in coastal and prevent plastic debris. The site, developed in partnership systems. To further study the impacts of with NOAA’s National Coastal Data plastic on the marine environment, the Development Center, provides users program also funded research this year access to information on ongoing and that will investigate the chemical effects historical marine debris projects related of marine debris. to removal, research, and outreach. The site’s sophisticated search function This year, the NOAA MDP also allows users to query specific project supported the Joint Group of Experts data, such as date and description, on the Scientific Aspects of Marine location, or marine debris type. Environmental Protection (GESAMP), an advisory body to the United Nations, Looking ahead, the Clearinghouse to conduct a global assessment of will include new features, including a microplastic particles. GESAMP brought resource library that will provide access together members from nine countries to regional action and response plans, and five continents, including the NOAA technical documents, and “state-of-the- MDP, to form a working group. In July, science” papers that discuss key findings members of the working group met to and knowledge gaps in marine debris draft an assessment report that covered research and operations. the inputs of plastic and microplastic to marine systems, particle degradation and transport, the effects of microplastic on marine organisms, and public perception.

2013 ACCOMPLISHMENTS REPORT An unmanned aircraft system flies over the Olympic Coast taking high- definition images of seabirds and shoreline debris.

OLYMPIC COAST, WASHINGTON

UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEM One of the primary challenges of Environmental Satellite, Data, and survey. Post-processing of the data is research on at-sea debris is detecting Information Service, and the University ongoing, but initial results showed low and quantifying widely dispersed open of Alaska at Fairbanks on a project to debris densities offshore and pockets ocean debris. Once the debris comes evaluate the potential for use of small of higher debris density at “catcher” ashore, it can become concentrated on UAS in detecting debris, including beaches onshore. These onshore results “catcher” beaches that are inaccessible surveys both at-sea and on shore. As will be “groundtruthed” using field or inhabited by protected species, part of this project, NOAA conducted observations from shoreline survey posing further challenges in access and field testing of a UAS on the Olympic teams, allowing for a clear analysis of the detection. Coast of Washington in June 2013. UAS’ effectiveness. The mission had three elements; a The NOAA MDP cooperated with the primary seabird survey, shoreline debris NOAA UAS Program, NOAA National detection, and targeted offshore debris

17 Siuslaw Surfrider volunteers measure a beach transect along the shoreline as part of the Marine Debris Monitoring and Assessment Project.

FLORENCE, OREGON

MARINE DEBRIS DERELICT CRAB MONITORING AND TRAP RESEARCH

ASSESSMENT PROJECT In order to better understand the (MD-MAP) derelict fishing gear problem, the NOAA MDP has supported multiple Over the last year, the NOAA MDP research efforts to measure and address has increased the number of partner the impacts of derelict crab traps in organizations monitoring and assessing Alaska’s Dungeness crab fisheries. In shoreline sites as part of the MD-MAP, 2013, a NOAA MDP funded project at Traps may stay in the environment focusing efforts on regions impacted NOAA’s Auke Bay Labs to test escape for six or more by Japan tsunami marine debris. The mechanisms on Dungeness crab traps via years before MD-MAP surpassed 150 monitoring sites lab experiments concluded. Investigators breaking down due in Alaska, British Columbia, Washington, used results from a previous study to the cold water Oregon, California, and Hawaii, and the showing metal fatigue as a main factor . program is expanding to other states, interfering with proper trap opening and starting with Virginia. developed a project to mitigate it. The NOAA MDP and partners will now move Through the project, the NOAA MDP forward with testing biodegradable collects baseline data that will help panels in the field. This research could identify targets for mitigation, evaluate lessen the impact of a Dungeness crab the effectiveness of marine debris trap once it becomes derelict. prevention efforts, and determine marine debris impacts on the marine environment. Survey data and photos are placed in an online database, developed this year, to facilitate data analysis and regional comparisons of debris types, abundances, and trends.

2013 ACCOMPLISHMENTS REPORT Volunteers collect fishing nets and consumer debris along the shoreline in the Gulf of Mexico region.

FAIRHOPE, ALABAMA

OUTREACH & EDUCATION

PREVENTING DEBRIS THROUGH OUTREACH people reached 3,360+ at events & EDUCATION

The NOAA MDP strives to change outreach events outreach & education attended globally behavior every day to reduce and 48 prevent marine debris through outreach and education. In the past year, the NOAA MDP participated in events blog nationwide to spread the word about the 74,400+ views impacts of marine debris and how local facebook likes communities and individuals can help be 3,765+ part of the . In 2014, the NOAA social media twitter followers MDP looks forward to expand outreach 2,996+ and education and initiative through new partnerships and initiatives.

19 Artwork by 2013 “Keep the Sea Free of Debris!” art contest finalist, Lindsey B., Grade 6, from .

2013 “KEEP THE SEA DIGITAL OUTREAH FREE OF DEBRIS!” PARTNERSHIP ART CONTEST As part of a digital outreach partnership, Artwork from the annual “Keep the Sea the NOAA MDP supported Ocean Free of Debris!” art contest serves as an Conservancy, a national non-profit group outreach and educational tool. Each year advocating for healthy oceans, to reach students in K-8 grades submit artwork beyond the one-day-a-year cleanup and started a year-round movement, showing the impact of marine debris Rippl is a free mobile on the ocean environment. In 2013, the developing a Do-It-Yourself Cleanup application that delivers NOAA MDP received more than 600 art Kit, a new mobile application, Rippl, weekly living green entries from 21 states across the U.S. and on-going campaigns encouraging tips to nearly 12,000 active users who want 13 winners will be featured in the 2014 prevention. Keep the Coast Clear, a website developed early on in the to improve their daily Marine Debris Calendar. habits to improve our partnership, allows Ocean Conservancy ocean and waterways. to direct visitors to clear actions to prevent marine debris. As part of this site, Ocean Conservancy launched the award-winning Trash-Free Challenge, a movement designed to reduce the amount of trash we all create.

2013 ACCOMPLISHMENTS REPORT SEVERE MARINE DEBRIS EVENTS

JAPAN TSUNAMI OLYMPIC COAST SANDY MARINE MARINE DEBRIS DOCK REMOVAL DEBRIS RESPONSE The NOAA MDP’s response to marine The significant amount of planning During the 2012 hurricane season, Sandy debris from the 2011 Japan earthquake federal, state, and local agencies inflicted severe damage to communities and tsunami arriving on U.S. shores conducted in Washington paid off, when and coastal resources over large areas of stretched into the 2013 fiscal year. As a 70-foot concrete and Styrofoam dock the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast states, work continued in the states on regional from Japan was spotted off the coast depositing huge amounts of debris in response plans and cleanup, winter in December 2012. Federal and state coastal waters and along shorelines. ushered in two major events that spurred agencies and Indian Tribes responded This debris poses to navigation, activity for the program: a $5 million gift to the dock sighting quickly and commercial fishing grounds, and from Japan and a second dock landing collaboratively. NOAA coordinated the sensitive ecosystems. on U.S. coasts. response with the state and other federal agencies, while providing trajectories After the initial emergency response, FUNDING TO STATES to estimate the dock’s movement and the NOAA MDP pulled together state possible landfall. and local agencies in impacted states In December 2012, the Government of to determine needs, coordinate debris Japan gifted $5 million to the United After the dock washed up on a rugged response activities, and begin initial States, through the NOAA MDP, to Olympic Coast shoreline, the NOAA assessments. The program worked with support debris cleanup and response MDP and partners in the National Park partners to develop a model showing activities. The NOAA MDP distributed Service, Olympic Coast National Marine areas where debris had most likely funds to states through formal Sanctuary, and state agencies quickly set accumulated and analyzed sonar and agreements, providing an initial $250,000 out to assess it and put a removal plan LiDAR survey data to find submerged each to Alaska, Washington, Oregon, in motion. With critical and generous debris. California, and Hawai’i. financial support from the Government of Japan, National Park Service, and In the Disaster Relief Appropriations NOAA, Olympic Coast National Marine Act of 2013, Congress provided the Sanctuary contracted with the Undersea program with $4.75 million to locate Company from Port Townsend, which and potentially remove the marine cut the dock in place and removed all debris Sandy generated. The program pieces by helicopter, completing the will continue activities in FY14 with a removal safely by March 2013. The dock’s combination of aerial, underwater, and timely removal eliminated a substantial shoreline surveys necessary to assess the safety and environmental risk, restoring a quantity and location of marine debris remote and protected area to its natural in the impacted coastal areas. These state. assessments will allow NOAA to estimate the debris’ impacts to economies and ecosystems, identify priority items for removal, develop best removal practices, and support limited removal efforts.

21 Aerial view of debris left by Sandy at Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge.

GALLOWAY, NEW JERSEY

A worker uses a 30% bleach spray to decontaminate and reduce the spread of possible marine invasive species on the Japanese dock which made landfall on Washington’s Olympic Peninsula.

CLALLAM, WASHINGTON

2013 ACCOMPLISHMENTS REPORT PARTNERSHIPS

FISHING FOR ENERGY OCEAN CONSERVANCY Fishing for Energy is an innovative Ocean Conservancy leads the annual public-private partnership between International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) effort. the NOAA MDP, the National Fish and The NOAA MDP has supported the ICC Wildlife Foundation, Schnitzer Steel and since the program’s inception, and this Covanta Energy designed to provide year marks eight years of dedication to commercial fisherman a cost-free way cleaner waterways. to recycle old and unusable fishing gear. Schnitzer Steel collects gear and For the 2013 ICC, the NOAA MDP recycles any metal, and transports the coordinated NOAA-staffed clean-up remaining gear to Covanta facilities, sites in Hawaii, Washington, California, where it is converted into energy. Since Alabama, and Washington, DC. launching in 2008, Fishing for Energy has processed more than 2.2 million pounds of old fishing gear from 44 ports across the nation, a portion of which has been retrieved directly from the ocean by fishers. This year, the partnership added Martha’s Vineyard, MA and Miami – Port Everglades, FL to its port list.

In August 2013, partners in the Fishing for Energy initiative gathered at Covanta Energy-from-Waste facility in Haverhill, MA to celebrate a significant milestone: the facility has turned more than 300,000 pounds of derelict fishing gear into renewable electricity.

23 LOOKING AHEAD TO 2014

The NOAA MDP is looking forward to launching 11 new outreach and education and research intiatives in FY14. Here is a look at the year ahead:

OUTREACH & EDUCATION RESEARCH

The Sea Research Foundation to Rozalia Project for a Clean Ocean Regents of the University of educate teen audiences in Connecticut to educate youth on marine debris California, Davis to explore how about marine debris and provide at schools and dockside locations on microplastics contaminated with opportunities for the teens to share the East and West Coasts with camps, absorbed chemicals impact species that their work on marine debris with museums, community centers and ingest them, as well as the likelihood of peers through the “Teen Marine Debris waterfront organizations, using a microplastic particles and chemicals to Initiative.” remotely operated vehicle and STEM- be transferred to a higher trophic level. education curriculum and activities. Oregon State University to create a Sea Education Association to comprehensive marine debris curriculum University of to conduct explore how animal behavior influences and hands-on activities for Oregon’s 4th- shoreline surveys and cleanups with the ingestion of potentially harmful 12th grade students. students and use the data to educate the microplastic particles. general public, students, and teachers Anchorage Museum Association to in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia Institute of Marine Science create an exhibit that informs visitors Georgia on marine debris; the project to determine which factors, such as about marine plastics through science leads will also develop a traveling and pH, are important and art using marine debris collected off museum exhibit. influences on the way chemicals and the Alaskan coast. plastics interact in the environment. Florida Fish and Wildlife Monterey Bay Aquarium Foundation Conservation Commission to launch a to provide California’s K-12 teachers with campaign focusing on behavior change, an in-depth overview of marine debris based on 10 years of research, on the problems and solutions, along with tools environmental impacts of lost traps from for integrating marine debris lessons into South Florida’s lobster fishery. classrooms through three ocean plastic pollution summits for teachers.

Ocean Conservancy to expand the educational and outreach components of Ocean Conservancy’s Trash Free Seas initiative and increase hands-on experiential learning activities.

2013 ACCOMPLISHMENTS REPORT ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Director, NOAA Marine Debris Photo Credits Program 1. Peter Murphy, NOAA MDP (Cover, top) Nancy Wallace 2. Northwest Straits Foundation (Cover, bottom left) 3. NOAA MDP, art contest finalist (Cover, bottom right) Deputy Director, NOAA Marine 4. Steven Siegel/Marine Photobank (Pg. 3) Debris Program 5. Kimberly Albins, NOAA MDP (Pg. 4) Alison Hammer-Weingast 6. Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission (Pg. 6) 7. Sarah Opfer, NOAA MDP (Pg. 7) Communications 8. Kimberly Albins, NOAA MDP (Pg. 9) Leah Henry 9. Peter Murphy, NOAA MDP (Pg. 10) Asma Mahdi 10 Peter Murphy, NOAA MDP (Pg. 11) Dianna Parker 11. Unified Port of San Diego (Pg. 12) 12. NOAA PIFSC CRED (Pg. 14) Regional Coordinators 13. NOAA MDP (Pg. 15) Kimberly Albins 14. NOAA, Olympic Coast NMS (Pg. 17) Nir Barnea 15. Siuslaw Surfrider (Pg. 18) Keith Cialino 16. Kimberly Albins, NOAA MDP (Pg. 19) Andrea Kealoha 12. NOAA MDP, art contest finalist (Pg. 20) Kyle Koyanagi 12. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Pg. 22) Sherry Lippiatt 13. Allen Pleus, Washington Department of Peter Murphy Fish and Wildlife (Pg. 22) Sarah Opfer Jason Rolfe For more information on the NOAA Research Coordinators Marine Debris Progam, visit: Courtney Arthur www.MarineDebris.noaa.gov Jason Landrum

25 Penny Pritzker Secretary, U.S. Department of Commerce

Kathryn D. Sullivan, Ph.D Acting U.S. Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere

Holly Bamford, Ph.D Assistant Administrator, NOAA’s National Ocean Service