Marine Debris Program Engages with Stakeholders at Alaska Forum on the Environment and North Pacific Fisheries Management Council
FEB. 22, 2022 – Over recent weeks, the NOAA Marine Debris Program (MDP) participated in outreach to the Alaska fishing industry and marine debris community stakeholders through two events. These engagements focused on the unique nature of debris issues in Alaska, emerging work, and future efforts and opportunities, including collaborative action planning.
On January 26, Peter Murphy, Alaska Regional Coordinator for the MDP, provided a virtual presentation on the marine debris issue, actions, and opportunities for engagement to the Ecosystem Committee of the North Pacific Fisheries Management Council (NPFMC). This group provides recommendations on ecosystem research and science to the overall Council, and coming out of the meeting recommended that the NPFMC support marine debris action planning in Alaska and engage to provide input from a fisheries perspective.
The week of February 7, marine debris sessions were held as part of the Alaska Forum on the Environment (AFE). This event, held remotely, is a primary environmental conference for stakeholders in the state to share information on issues and actions of interest, and exchange ideas and perspectives on priorities and best practices. Marine debris has been a track topic at the AFE for more than 10 years, and this year's sessions included talks from Federal, nongovernmental organizations, and private sector partners on their efforts in marine debris removal, prevention, and sustainable disposal research. The two sessions were attended by more than 150 participants. The talk given by Peter focused on recent efforts of the MDP and on the path forward for action planning in the state.
For more information, please contact Peter.Murphy@noaa.gov.