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The NOAA Marine Debris Program (MDP) supports national and international efforts to research, prevent, and reduce the impacts of marine debris.
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The MDP serves as a centralized capability within NOAA, coordinating and supporting activities within NOAA and with other federal agencies, as well as using partnerships to support projects carried out by state and local agencies, tribes, non-governmental organizations, academia, and industry. If you're looking for the official source of information about the NOAA Marine Debris Program, please visit our homepage at http://marinedebris.noaa.gov/. Comment Policy:
We encourage public interaction and communication about the content we post on our social media accounts. However, this does not imply that the NOAA Marine Debris Program agrees with or accepts the content, opinions, or views expressed within any public comment. The person who posts a comment is solely responsible for the content of the comment. While we do not discriminate against views or opinions posted to our social networking accounts, we reserve the right to remove any comment. A comment will not be edited or modified to remove unacceptable content; the entire comment will simply be deleted. Some of the reasons we may remove a comment are listed below:

- Abusive, vulgar, obscene, racist, threatening, or harassing comments
- Libel, slander, or personal attacks of any kind, including the use of offensive terms that target specific individuals or groups
- Clearly off topic
- Spam, including content that promotes products or services or contains gratuitous links (links or references to other NOAA webpages or federal government sites are acceptable)
- Political campaigning or lobbying

NOAA, part of the Department of Commerce, uses various third-party social media services for outreach. Use of these social media services may require a membership that subjects users to policies, requirements, or rules beyond the control of the Department of Commerce. The Department of Commerce does not endorse membership in a particular social media service and takes no responsibility for any content that may be posted by other users. Communications made through social media services will not, in any way, constitute a legal or official notice to the Department of Commerce or any of its entities, officials, or employees.

29/10/2026

Trash or Treat!

Every year, Halloween candy is handed out to kids in costumes and the leftover plastic wrappers can pile up throughout many neighborhoods. Before it enters our waterways, Great Lakes, and ocean to become marine debris, you can help!

Make sure you hold on to your candy wrappers after enjoying the sweet treat and dispose of them properly. Check out some other ways to reduce trash this spooky season! https://blog.marinedebris.noaa.gov/trash-or-treat

28/10/2026

Neah Bay, located at the northwestern tip of Washington’s Olympic Peninsula within the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary, is home to diverse wildlife supported by the nutrient-rich waters of the Strait of Juan de Fuca. It is the ancestral home of the Makah Tribe, whose cultural traditions and strong connection to the ocean have shaped and sustained the area for thousands of years.

With support from a 2023 award from the NOAA Marine Debris Program, the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation and the Makah Tribe removed 3,700 tons of large marine debris from Neah Bay, including derelict vessels and a massive 3,000-ton concrete-and-steel pontoon.

“Neah Bay: Restoring Ancestral Waters” is a feature film produced by the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation that explores large-scale marine debris pollution and its impacts on marine ecosystems and coastal communities. The film is now available to watch for free at www.marinesanctuary.org/neahbayfilm National Marine Sanctuary Foundation NOAA Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary

Learn more about this project: https://marinedebris.noaa.gov/removal/reducing-impact-large-marine-debris-national-marine-sanctuary-system

23/10/2026

22/10/2026

Follow the life cycle of a lost lobster trap, from working gear to marine debris, through recovery, recycling, repurposing, and proper disposal. Learn how collaboration among nonprofit organizations, commercial fishers, state agencies, volunteers, and coastal communities is helping reduce the impacts of marine debris while contributing to a cleaner Gulf of Maine.

With support from a 2023 award from the NOAA Marine Debris Program, the Center for Coastal Studies and partners removed over 2,000,000 pounds of marine debris across the Gulf of Maine, processed and recycled nearly 30,000 lost or retired lobster traps, and engaged over 100 commercial fishers to recover lost and end-of-life fishing gear over three years.

The Rozalia Project for a Clean Ocean Center for Coastal Studies Blue Ocean Society for Marine Conservation OceansWide Net Your Problem Gulf of Maine Lobster Foundation

21/10/2026

Today is the last day to apply to the Hurricane Response Marine Debris Removal Fund, a partnership between National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and the NOAA Marine Debris Program.

The program will fund up to $11M for projects that remove marine debris from coastal communities in Florida, Georgia, Guam, North Carolina, and South Carolina affected by the 2023 and 2024 hurricane and typhoon seasons. Apply today!

Learn more about this funding opportunity: https://blog.marinedebris.noaa.gov/special-funding-opportunity-hurricane-response-marine-debris-removal-fund-2

19/10/2026

TWO DAYS to apply to the Hurricane Response Marine Debris Removal Fund, a partnership between National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and the NOAA Marine Debris Program.

The program will fund up to $11M for projects that remove marine debris from coastal communities in Florida, Georgia, Guam, North Carolina, and South Carolina affected by the 2023 and 2024 hurricane and typhoon seasons. Full proposals are due on October 21, 2026.

Learn more about this funding opportunity: https://blog.marinedebris.noaa.gov/special-funding-opportunity-hurricane-response-marine-debris-removal-fund-2

14/10/2026

ONE WEEK to apply to the Hurricane Response Marine Debris Removal Fund, a partnership between National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and the NOAA Marine Debris Program.

The program will fund up to $11M for projects that remove marine debris from coastal communities in Florida, Georgia, Guam, North Carolina, and South Carolina affected by the 2023 and 2024 hurricane and typhoon seasons. Full proposals are due on October 21, 2026.

Learn more about this funding opportunity: https://blog.marinedebris.noaa.gov/special-funding-opportunity-hurricane-response-marine-debris-removal-fund-2

13/10/2026

Sharpen your pencils, get out your markers, and prep your paints! The NOAA Marine Debris Program Art Contest is now open!

Use your creativity to answer the questions: How does marine debris impact the ocean and the Great Lakes? What are you doing to help prevent marine debris? Your artwork could be featured in our 2028 Marine Debris Calendar!

Students in grades K-8 in all U.S. states and territories can submit artwork online or through the mail through December 11. More information about submission requirements and how to enter are at the link below.

Share this with a teacher, parent, student, or friend who can help us raise awareness about marine debris!
https://marinedebris.noaa.gov/noaa-marine-debris-program-art-contest-and-calendar

07/10/2026

Float It! Lift It! Swim It! Fly It!

Some marine debris can be picked up by hand. Some requires cranes, divers, flotation devices, or even helicopters to remove.

As the NOAA Marine Debris Program marks its 20th anniversary, we are looking at how our work has evolved to address large-scale marine debris across the country. From lost fishing gear tangled on the seafloor to abandoned vessels and decades-old coastal structures, these projects are anything but straightforward. There are multiple strategies and techniques that our partners use to address even the most persnickety debris from our marine environment.

Learn about each one:
https://blog.marinedebris.noaa.gov/float-it-lift-it-swim-it-fly-it-addressing-large-scale-marine-debris

07/10/2026

TWO WEEKS to apply to the Hurricane Response Marine Debris Removal Fund, a partnership between National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and the NOAA Marine Debris Program.

The program will fund up to $11M for projects that remove marine debris from coastal communities in Florida, Georgia, Guam, North Carolina, and South Carolina affected by the 2023 and 2024 hurricane and typhoon seasons. Full proposals are due on October 21, 2026.

Learn more about this funding opportunity: https://blog.marinedebris.noaa.gov/special-funding-opportunity-hurricane-response-marine-debris-removal-fund-2

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