The goal of the Oregon Marine Debris Team is to protect Oregon’s beaches from marine debris through stewardship, education, science and monitoring.
The Oregon Marine Debris Team, a partnership between CoastWatch, Surfrider Foundation, SOLVE, Washed Ashore, and Oregon Sea Grant, was formed to collaborate on citizen-based efforts to track and clean up marine debris. The Team’s focus is on the longstanding, persistent issue of marine debris but also addresses debris generated by the tsunami that struck Japan in March, 2011. An estimated 1.5 million tons of debris pulled out to sea by the tsunami is circulating the Pacific—an unknown portion is likely to wash up in Oregon.
