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Marine Debris

Marine Debris

What is marine debris?

NOAA defines marine debris as “any persistent solid material that is manufactured or processed and directly or indirectly, intentionally or unintentionally, disposed of or abandoned into the marine environment or the Great Lakes.” There are multiple types of marine debris–including litter, lost or abandoned fishing gear and boats and nurdles and other forms of microplastics–that may enter the environment via intentional dumping, discarding, abandoning or accidental release (e.g., lost during transport or storm events).

Photo: Marine Litter

Litter

Litter is trash that is left out in the environment. Examples include but are not limited to paper, cans, bottles and plastic. Plastic litter may break down in the environment and form tiny pieces of plastic, known as microplastics.

 

Lost or abandoned fishing gear

Fishing gear that is lost or abandoned includes but is not limited to fishing line, crab traps, nets and other recreational or commercial gear.

 

 

Photo: Derelict boat

Abandoned or derelict boats

These are vessels that have been abandoned by their owners or broken away from their anchors or moorings, drifted away and become lost and broken down.

 

 

Photo: Nurdles

Microplastics

Microplastics are pieces of plastic less than 0.2 inches in size, or roughly the diameter of a pencil eraser. Sources of microplastic in the environment include but are not limited to nurdles (pellets of raw plastic resin), certain personal care products, as well as plastic litter that has broken down into tiny fragments.

more about Microplastics >


 

For further reading

    1. NOAA. (2021). What is marine debris? NOAA Marine Debris Program – Office of Response and Restoration.
      https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/marinedebris.html
    2. NOAA. (2021). Derelict fishing gear. NOAA Marine Debris Program – Office of Response and Restoration.
      https://marinedebris.noaa.gov/types/derelict-fishing-gear
    3. NOAA. (2021). Abandoned and derelict vessels. NOAA Marine Debris Program – Office of Response and Restoration.
      https://marinedebris.noaa.gov/what-marine-debris/abandoned-and-derelict-vessels
    4. NOAA. (2021). Microplastics. NOAA Marine Debris Program – Office of Response and Restoration.
      https://marinedebris.noaa.gov/what-marine-debris/microplastics