About the Program

Learn more about our Program staff!

Learn more about our Program's regional coverage.

Vision

The NOAA Marine Debris Program envisions the global ocean and its coasts, users, and inhabitants free from the impacts of marine debris.

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Mission

The mission of the NOAA Marine Debris Program is to investigate and solve the problems that stem from marine debris through research, prevention, and reduction activities, in order to protect and conserve our nation's marine environment and ensure navigation safety.

Learn more about the Program's strategies, focus areas, and activities.

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Staff and Locations

The MDP has headquarters in Silver Spring, MD and has regional staff members positioned around the country to support regional coordination efforts, track progress of projects, review performance measures, and conduct regional marine debris outreach to local audiences.

Learn more about our Program staff.

Learn more about our Program's regional coverage.

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Program Components and Grant Programs

The Marine Debris Research, Prevention, and Reduction Act of 2006 outlines three central program components for the MDP to undertake: 1) mapping, identification, impact assessment, removal, and prevention; 2) reducing and preventing gear loss; and 3) outreach. To address these components, the MDP has developed capacity within the program and the agency to conduct projects addressing these areas as well as established two competitive grant programs that provide Federal funding to non-Federal applicants nationwide.

Learn more about our funding opportunities.

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Interagency Coordination

The passing of the Marine Debris Research, Prevention, and Reduction Act re-established the Interagency Marine Debris Coordinating Committee, which includes 10 Federal agencies (NOAA serves as chair) responsible for developing and recommending comprehensive and multi-disciplinary approaches to reduce the sources and impacts of marine debris to the nation's marine environment, natural resources, public safety, and economy. The Committee also ensures the coordination of Federal agency marine debris activities both nationally and internationally and works with states and NGOs to support regional activities.

Learn more about the Interagency Marine Debris Coordinating Committee.

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External Partnerships

The MDP appreciates the opportunities that are presented through partnerships with external organizations and entities such as Ocean Conservancy, National Geographic, American Chemistry Council, BoatUS, University of Washington-Tacoma. The MDP continues to seek new and productive partnerships to address the issue of marine debris around our nation's coasts.

Learn more about our Program's partners.

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Program History

The NOAA Marine Debris Program was created in 2005 after the NOAA National Ocean Service's Office of Response and Restoration received a budget line titled “Marine Debris” for $5M. On December 22, 2006, President Bush signed into law the Marine Debris Research, Prevention, and Reduction Act, which legally establishes the NOAA Marine Debris Program.

To date, the program has (1) reviewed and inventoried existing debris projects in NOAA; (2) conducted two workshops with internal and external partners focused on the activities and needs of NOAA and the marine debris community; (3) developed a two-year implementation plan; (4) established bi-weekly marine debris meetings with representatives from over ten offices across five NOAA line offices; (5) identified regional coordinators to promote the program’s objectives; (6) established an outreach program; and (7) created three competitive grant programs for distributing funds.

The implementation plan sets the focus areas for the program and is used to direct the three grant programs, internal and external partnerships the program is engaged in, and general program activities.

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History of Programs Within NOAA

From 1985 to 1996, NOAA administered the Marine Entanglement Research Program, a marine debris research and management program that was created in response to growing public concern over the impacts of marine debris on wildlife. Since then, NOAA has continued to support marine debris clean-up and prevention activities, such as the debris assessment and removal project in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, the use of satellite and aerial remote sensing to locate and track oceanographic features likely to accumulate floating marine debris, and support for the development and testing protocols for removing derelict fishing gear from coastal waters.

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Downloadable Materials

NOAA Marine Debris Program 1-pager ( 997KB)

NOAA Marine Debris Program's 2007-2008 Accomplishments Report ( 4MB)

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