Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands Marine Debris Emergency Response Workshop
DECEMBER 13, 2021 — On November 17, NOAA’s Marine Debris Program (MDP) hosted a virtual Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) Marine Debris Emergency Response workshop. The CNMI experiences a high number of storms and is located in an area referred to as “Typhoon Alley,” making it especially important for the region to be prepared.
This effort is part of an ongoing project to help coastal states and territories prepare to respond to marine debris after disasters by developing location-specific marine debris response guides. The MDP is excited to expand this work into the Pacific with this workshop and new guide.
Sixty people, representing nonprofit, academia, and federal and territorial agencies, attended and provided input and feedback for CNMI’s new marine debris emergency response guide. During the workshop, participants shared information on how their respective organizations contribute to marine debris recovery efforts following a natural disaster, brainstormed actions to overcome response challenges, and discussed opportunities for increased collaboration.
A draft guide for CNMI is in development and will include feedback captured from the recent virtual workshop. Additional information about the Marine Debris Program’s emergency response efforts is available here.
For more information, contact Amy.Gohres@noaa.gov or Mark.Manuel@noaa.gov.