Regional Updates
  Rachel Freeman, education manager for Oregon Shores, removes marine debris rope from a driftwood logjam as part of the Fourth Annual Oregon Dunes National Recreation Cleanup hosted by Oregon Shores (Photo Credit: Elizabeth Roberts).
Continued Stewardship of Critical Habitat in the Oregon Dunes
Volunteers came together in January for the fourth year of removing marine debris from critical Snowy Plover habitat in the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area. U.S. Forest Service staff, in partnership with Oregon Shores, shuttled volunteers out to some of southern Oregon’s more remote and hard to access coastline for three days of intensive clean up. Together they removed just over 1,600 pounds of marine debris from the beach and surrounding estuary. Other partners included SOLVE, who provided volunteers with the tools they needed to ensure a safe and successful day on the beach, and Washed Ashore, for who took the collected debris to create educational art as part of their Art to Save the Sea efforts.
 (Photo Credit: SOLVE).
Oregon Spring Cleanup:
40 Years of Caring for Our Coast
Every April, the Oregon Spring Cleanup brings volunteers together across beaches, neighborhoods, parks, and natural areas throughout the region in celebration of Earth Month, a SOLVE tradition making an impact since 1986. This year marks the 40th anniversary of this long-standing community effort. In partnership with Portland General Electric, communities across the region are celebrating Earth Month all month long.
Throughout April, community members can get involved by volunteering at an existing cleanup or restoration project, or by hosting their own project to help prepare coastal areas and waterways for the busy recreation season ahead. Spring cleanups protect marine habitats, improve public access, and help prevent litter from entering the ocean before peak use begins. SOLVE provides supplies, guidance, and disposal support to make participation easy.
Learn more and get involved.
 NOAA Marine Debris Program Updates
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Special Funding Opportunity: Nationwide Fishing Trap Removal, Assessment, and Prevention Program
With Fiscal Year 2022-2023 funding from the NOAA Marine Debris Program, the William and Mary’s Batten School and the Virginia Institute of Marine Science is seeking applications for up to $1,475,000 in grants to remove derelict fishing traps throughout coastal waterways of the United States while collecting data to prevent future gear loss. Projects may range from $50,000 to $150,000. Projects throughout the coastal United States, including United States territories and Freely Associated States, are eligible for consideration.
For more information on the application process, visit the William and Mary’s Batten School and the Virginia Institute of Marine Science website.
Deadline: March 31, 2026 by 11:59 PM ET.
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2026 BoatUS Foundation Turning the Tide Summit Seeks Presenter Applications
Under a 2023 award from the NOAA Marine Debris Program, the BoatUS Foundation is working to increase understanding of the abandoned and derelict vessel issue while also removing and preventing them. The BoatUS Foundation is now seeking speakers for its Turning the Tide Summit in New Orleans on December 6-9, 2026. The summit will bring together government agencies, environmentalists, marine professionals, and recycle and waste management experts nationwide to explore best practices for responsible and sustainable removal and disposal of abandoned and derelict vessels (ADVs) and boating-related debris along with sharing emerging technologies and innovative recycling programs.
The BoatUS Foundation is seeking speakers who can share their experience and expertise regarding:
- Projects pertaining to ADV removals and vessel turn-in programs.
- Projects and efforts that focused on sustainable disposal and recycling solutions for ADVs and boating-related debris.
- Initiatives and/or programs geared towards preventing ADVs and boating-related debris.
Interested speakers are invited to apply here by June 1, 2026.
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The 2026 Marine Debris Calendar Is Now Available!
The NOAA Marine Debris Program is proud to announce that our 2026 Marine Debris Calendar is now available for download! Our art contest aims to get students thinking about how marine debris impacts our ocean and Great Lakes, and what they can do to help. This year’s calendar features artwork from 13 students in grades one through eight, representing seven states and three U.S. territories. All are winners of the “Keep the Sea Free of Debris” art contest.
Check out the 2026 Marine Debris Calendar on our website!
Photo caption: Artwork by Aaliyah R. M. (Grade 8, Puerto Rico), winner of the 2025 NOAA Marine Debris Program Art Contest.
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Marine Debris Foundation Announces Public-Private Partnership
In January 2026, the Marine Debris Foundation announced an award from the NOAA Marine Debris Program to support a five-year partnership to prevent, remove, and reduce marine debris in the United States and accelerate solutions to global marine debris issues.
The Marine Debris Foundation is a non-profit partner of the NOAA Marine Debris Program focused on supporting community-driven initiatives and advancing innovative solutions to prevent, remove, and reduce marine debris. This new award supports community grants for grassroots projects and the Genius Prize for Save Our Seas Innovation, a biennial national, competitive cash award authorized by Congress that recognizes promising innovations that prevent or remove marine debris for cleaner waters throughout the country.
Learn more about this new award on the Marine Debris Foundation website.
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