Tackling Trash: Developing a National Marine Debris Monitoring Program

NOAA's Marine Debris Monitoring and Assessment Project (MD-MAP) has evolved from an effort to develop scientifically rigorous standardized protocols to a contributing network of nearly 50 different volunteer-based... [ view full abstract ]

NOAA's Marine Debris Monitoring and Assessment Project (MD-MAP) has evolved from an effort to develop scientifically rigorous standardized protocols to a contributing network of nearly 50 different volunteer-based organizations. Project partners conduct shoreline assessments on a monthly basis and enter survey data to an online database. One unanticipated focus of the MD-MAP is to investigate the impact of debris generated from the devastating March 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan. This presentation will provide an overview of efforts to date, challenges and lessons learned, and management applications of the data collected.