NOAA Marine Debris Program Nancy Wallace National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Marine Debris Program Spill Control Association of America Annual Meeting March 2019 1 NOAA Marine Debris Program Established in 2006 by Congress as the federal lead for marine debris. Reauthorized in 2018 through the Save Our Seas Act. Vision: the global ocean and its coasts free from the impacts of marine debris Mission: to investigate and prevent the adverse impacts of marine debris 2 1
What is Marine Debris? any persistent solid material that is manufactured or processed and directly or indirectly, intentionally or unintentionally, disposed of or abandoned into the marine environment or the Great Lakes. 3 oftrash FreeUS Maryland Navy University the Virgin Islands NOAA Land-Based Sources Littering & illegal dumping Poor waste management Storm water discharge Natural disasters (e.g. tsunamis, hurricanes, storms) 4 2
/MBNMS/MBARI Ocean-Based Sources Fishing vessels Offshore oil & gas platforms Cargo ships Other large ships 5 Plastics Common form of marine debris that are nonbiodegradable Estimated 8 million metric tons of plastic enter the ocean every year Fragment into small pieces (called microplastics) 6 3
Microplastics Plastics smaller than 5mm in size Microplastics come from multiple sources Microbeads, microfibers, capsules, preproduction pellets Degradation of larger plastics Ingestion by animals Chemical impacts 7 Derelict Fishing Gear Commercial or recreational fishing gear that is lost, abandoned, or discarded Made with synthetic materials and metal Includes: o Nets o Lines o Buoys o Pots/traps 8 4
Peter Kingsley-Smith, SCDNR Abandoned and Derelict Vessels Vessels that are dilapidated or have no identifiable owner Can become derelict for many reasons: Neglect Theft Breakage from anchor Catastrophic weather Can pose navigational hazard and destroy habitat 9 NOAA Heal the Bay Oregon StateHIHWNMS University, Hatfield Coral Bay Marine Community Science Council Center NOAA MMHSRP Permit #932-1489 Blair Witherington Impacts Wildlife Entanglement Ingestion Vessel Damage and navigational hazard Invasive species Economic loss: Tourism Recreation Fisheries Vessel Damage Ghost fishing Habitat destruction 10 5
Program Pillars Prevention Removal Research Regional Coordination Emergency Response 11 Hawai i Wildlife Fund Prevention Turning off the tap Create lasting and measureable behavior change Work directly with students, teachers, fishermen, restaurants, and other businesses 12 6
Hawai i Clean Wildlife Water Fund Prevention Preventing Restaurant Debris Project with Clean Water Fund s ReThink Disposable program Work with restaurants to reduce waste from disposable food ware Calculate savings and how many disposable items were eliminated 13 Prevention Preventing Derelict Nets and Crab Pots Project with the Northwest Straits Foundation Worked with tribal, commercial, and recreational fishermen and crabbers Created a series of educational videos to help prevent pot loss 14 7
Removal Community-based marine debris removal projects Benefit coastal habitat, waterways, and wildlife Funded more than 100 removal projects since 2006, with more than 17,000 metric tons of debris removed 15 Town of Beaufort Removal Debris Removal in Beaufort Harbor Project with the Town of Beaufort, NC and NC Reserve Harbor and Taylor Creek littered with vessels, derelict nets, and illegal mooring following Hurricane Florence Removed almost 60 tons of debris BoatUS Foundation making a short film 16 8
Tyler Willsey Removal Derelict Vessel in Saipan Lagoon Project with Pacific Coastal Research & Planning F/V Lady Carolina grounded on the Saipan Lagoon in 2015 83ft vessel, estimated over 48 metric tons Highly visible recreational and commercial area in capitol Working with the Navy to salvage as part of training schedule 17 Research Advance state of marine debris science Partner with academia, state and federal agencies, and non-governmental organizations Current research priorities: Ecological Risk Assessment Exposure/Response Analysis Fate and Transport Economic Impacts 18 9
Regional Coordination Located in 10 regions around the country Provide regional expertise Coordinate with local partners Facilitate the creation of regional marine debris action plans 19 Emergency Response Debris can threaten navigation, natural resources, and human safety Respond to extreme weather events Emergency response guides for Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Mississippi, Texas, Virginia, and the Pacific Northwest 20 10
Emergency Response Hurricane Supplemental Funds $18M for Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria Funding to assess, remove, and dispose of hurricane related marine debris Awarded $17.2M in noncompetitive grants to Florida, Georgia, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Texas, and the U.S. Virgin Islands 21 USCG, USCG, USCG, USCG, Petty Petty Petty Petty Officer Officer Officer Officer Christopher Dustin David Anthony Weydert Williams NOAA Soto Yaw Emergency Response 2017 Hurricane Season Responded to Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria After Irma, approx. 2,679 displaced vessels Responded using the National Response Framework, managed by FEMA Served in Emergency Support Function 10 under USCG and EPA Developed vessel assessment and removal packages 22 11
Ocean Aid 360 How to Help Apply for marine debris federal funding opportunities Engage with emergency response guides and action plans Reduce waste in your day-to-day Prepare boats for storm season 23 Thank You Nancy Wallace National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Marine Debris Program Spill Control Association of America Annual Meeting March 2019 24 12