Our ocean is filled with items that do not belong there. Huge amounts of plastics, metals, rubber, paper, textiles, derelict fishing gear, derelict vessels, and other lost or discarded items enter the marine environment every day. This makes marine debris one of the most widespread pollution problems facing the world's ocean and waterways.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Marine Debris Program, within the NOAA Office of Response and Restoration, is the United States Government’s lead for addressing the impacts of marine debris on our ocean, waterways, and Great Lakes. The NOAA Marine Debris Program was established by Congress in 2006 through the Marine Debris Act.

The NOAA Marine Debris Program works with organizations around the United States and globally to prevent marine debris from entering the environment, remove it from coastal areas, better understand the problem through research and shoreline monitoring, and respond to debris created by disasters.

Prevention is the ultimate solution to marine debris. The NOAA Marine Debris Program supports projects that prevent marine debris from entering our ocean, waterways, and Great Lakes through outreach and education efforts that raise awareness and support behavior change.

• Prevention

Removal

The NOAA Marine Debris Program supports removal projects across the United States. From local shoreline cleanups to the removal of large abandoned vessels, these projects benefit coastal habitats, waterways, and wildlife. Since 2006, NOAA has supported over 260 marine debris removal projects and removed more than 83 million pounds of marine debris from our coasts, ocean, and Great Lakes.

• Removal

The NOAA Marine Debris Program supports projects that help to increase our understanding of the impacts of marine debris. These projects focus on commercial seafood species, whether exposure to plastics and chemicals can harm wildlife, how marine debris is transported and where it ends up, and the economic impacts of debris.

• Research

Monitoring and Detection

The NOAA Marine Debris Program works to improve our understanding of the scope, scale, and distribution of marine debris in the environment. Through the NOAA Marine Debris Monitoring and Assessment Project, the Program provides tools and resources for standardized data collection and empowers citizen scientists and local efforts. We are also harnessing and facilitating the use of emerging remote sensing technologies and techniques for marine debris detection.

• Monitoring

Disasters that impact the United States coast can be an overwhelming source of marine debris. The NOAA Marine Debris Program prepares for severe weather and other disaster events by supporting regionally-focused emergency response planning efforts and coordinating with partners during an event.

• Emergency Response

Coordination

The NOAA Marine Debris Program supports local marine debris initiatives through coordination in eleven regions across the United States, including territories and Freely Associated States in the Pacific Islands and the Caribbean. We also support key international partnerships, provide input to collaborative research, and support other organizations and governments to reduce marine debris globally.

• In Your Region
• International Collaboration