2021 Hawai‘i Marine Debris Action Plan
DECEMBER 13, 2021 ─ On December 8, the Marine Debris Program (MDP) released the 2021 Hawai‘i Marine Debris Action Plan. This document is the result of a collaborative effort between the MDP and partners across Hawai‘i, including federal, state, and local governments, nongovernmental organizations, industry, and academia.
The purpose of the Action Plan is to facilitate and track actions over the next ten years to reduce the ecological, health and safety, and economic impacts of marine debris in Hawai‘i by 2031. It prioritizes prevention and emphasizes the importance of addressing the issue of marine debris through proactive approaches.
The Action Plan has four goals, with 23 strategies and 129 actions that define how each goal will be achieved. The goals are:
- Goal 1: Prevention
- Goal 2: Ocean-based Marine Debris
- Goal 3: Removal
- Goal 4: Research
This is a new action plan, following completion of the 2010-2020 Hawai‘i Marine Debris Action Plan. In March 2021, the Hawai‘i Marine Debris Action Plan community came together to celebrate the completion of the 2010-2020 Action Plan and create the new Action Plan. This new Action Plan was built through the collaborative efforts of 48 contributing organizations. At the end of every two-year operational cycle, the partners will meet to update the Action Plan as needed.
For additional information, please contact Mark.Manuel@noaa.gov.