Virtual Seminar Highlights Statewide Coordination on Preventing Marine Debris
DEC. 5, 2022 — On Nov. 17, the NOAA Marine Debris Program coordinated and presented at the bi-annual California Ocean Litter Prevention Strategy webinar. The webinar brought together over 80 partners across the state and included a diverse set of sectors including state agencies, nonprofits, policy-makers, and academia.
The program partnered with the California Ocean Protection Council to develop the Ocean Litter Strategy. The strategy acts as a key document for the council marine pollution program’s work on ocean litter and plastic pollution. Twice a year, California’s marine debris action plan partners host a webinar to promote information-sharing and to hear from leading experts in California who are addressing marine debris. The two-hour webinar aimed to provide updates from the Ocean Litter Strategy implementation and monitoring process, strengthen community, foster relationship-building, and promote networking across the state.
MDP California Regional Coordinator Christy Kehoe organized the webinar alongside the council. She presented on the history of the strategy and provided updates on the program and federal initiatives, including new grantees in California, Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding opportunities, the Save our Seas 2.0 Act Microfiber Report, MDP’s new education and monitoring resources, and reflections from the Seventh International Marine Debris Conference. Additional speakers from various local, regional, and national partners provided updates on actions and related projects. The next webinar will take place in spring or summer 2023.