APRIL 22, 2024 — Oil spills and hazardous waste releases can close fisheries and beaches, kill wildlife, and adversely impact the coastal communities that rely on clean and productive waterways.
Current Issue
APRIL 22, 2024 — NOAA’s Office of Response and Restoration (OR&R) teamed up with the NOAA National Weather Service (NWS) and NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) to participate in a tri-annual, full-scale national oil spill exercise as part of the Preparedness for Response Exercise Program (PREP). The exercise, hosted by the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Sector Jacksonville in Jacksonville, Florida, was conducted on April 16-17.
APRIL 22, 2024 — On April 15, the Virginia Institute of Marine Science, in partnership with the NOAA Marine Debris Program, announced a request for proposals under the Nationwide Fishing Trap Removal, Assessment, and Prevention (TRAP) Program. With funding from the NOAA Marine Debris Program provided by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the Virginia Institute of Marine Science will award up to $1,475,000 in grants to remove derelict fishing traps throughout coastal waterways of the United States while collecting data to prevent future gear loss.
APRIL 22, 2024 — The past century of warfare and commerce has left a legacy of merchant and military shipwrecks across the world’s ocean. These wrecks pose threats from oil, munitions, and other hazardous cargo, but are also historical resources, artificial reefs, recreational dive attractions, and many are war graves. An estimated 8,000 vessels were sunk in World War II alone and the major flag states, including the U.S., UK, Germany, and Japan, all have potentially polluting wrecks in their waters.