NOAA Coordinates California Ocean Litter Strategy Workgroups
MARCH 27, 2023 — On March 15, the NOAA Marine Debris Program, within the Office of Response and Restoration, wrapped up a month of partner-led virtual workgroup meetings to discuss the California Ocean Litter Strategy. The meetings brought together over 50 partners from across the state and included a diverse set of sectors, including state agencies, nonprofits, private organizations, and academia.
The program partnered with the California Ocean Protection Council and California Sea Grant to develop the California Ocean Litter Prevention Strategy. Twice a year, California’s marine debris action plan partners meet in workgroups to discuss the strategy’s action progress, partner updates, and presentations from leaders in California. These bi-annual workgroups provide a venue for regular dialog and collaboration between organizations supporting actions within the strategy.
Marine Debris Program California Regional Coordinator Christy Kehoe provided updates on program initiatives and updates on the strategy’s implementation. Speakers included the City of Hayward, California Product Stewardship Council, Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary, Mid-Atlantic Regional Council for the Oceans, Aquarium of the Pacific at Long Beach, Paddle out Plastic, University of California Davis, and the California Ocean Protection Council. California Sea Grant also presented an overview on the request for proposals for microplastic research. Attendees engaged with community speakers and also shared relevant work in marine debris across California. The next workgroup meetings will take place in August 2023.