This document provides guidelines, information, and resources to deal with marine debris dispersion in marine areas outside of major shipping channels, and it incorporates experience and lessons learned from the post-Hurricanes Katrina and Rita marine debris survey and removal efforts. It is a simple, informal, and hopefully useful tool to assist managers at the Federal, State, and local levels to be better prepared to deal with marine debris the next time a powerful storm creates a major marine debris problem.

Citation: Barnea, N., J. Michel, B. Bray, Z. Nixon, G. Imahori and C. Moegling. 2009. Marine Debris Response Planning in the North-Central Gulf of Mexico. June 2009. NOAA Technical Memorandum NOS-OR&R-31.