RESEARCH AND PUBLICATIONS

To assess the ecological and economic impacts of derelict blue crab pots in the Chesapeake Bay, a diverse team of researchers from CSS-Dynamac, Inc.; Versar, Inc.; the Virginia Institute of Marine Science; and Global Science & Technology, Inc. recently completed a comprehensive Bay-wide assessment as part of a project funded by the NOAA Marine Debris Program. In addition to the Chesapeake Bay assessment, the team also created this Guiding Framework for derelict fishing gear assessments, which can be applied to other fisheries and/or regions interested in conducting similar studies. 

Plenary Presentations from the 2019 FL Marine Debris Reduction Workshop Presentations from NOAA MDP, EPA, FDEP, City of Miami Beach The workshop increased coordination between government, industry, and academia by convening stakeholders to update and revise the Florida Marine Debris Reduction Plan. The workshop brought together diverse perspectives in the marine debris community to develop recommended
strategies and actions to reduce the impacts and amount of marine debris in Florida. 

This technical memo provides information about shellfish aquaculture lease stewardship, best management practices for shellfish gear, shellfish gear management strategies, and severe-storm preparation strategies.

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Marine debris is a pervasive pollution problem that impacts all corners of the globe. Sometimes, debris ends up in places that require innovative thinking in order to remove. Check out some of these projects that implemented unique or developed best management practices for removing debris from the environment.

Working Group Updates from the 2019 FL Marine Debris Reduction Workshop Presentations include updates from DFG, ADV, Community Action, and Research and Data  The workshop increased coordination between government, industry, and academia by convening stakeholders to update and revise the Florida Marine Debris Reduction Plan. The workshop brought together diverse perspectives in the marine debris community to develop recommended
strategies and actions to reduce the impacts and amount of marine debris in Florida. 

Over 200 registered participants attended the Biscayne Bay Marine Health Summit and gained greater awareness of the bay as an ecological system and the challenges it’s experiencing today including inundation of marine debris. The diverse group of participants included environmental advocates, governmental officials, academia, and private sector participants, all who pledged to collaborate to support healthy bay initiatives including the Biscayne Bay Restoration Initiative (BBRI), and implementation of the Florida Marine Debris Reduction Guidance Plan, as part of a new 10-year action plan. The Summit also began the process of formulating a rigorous research agenda, called for a more comprehensive water quality monitoring and assessment plan, and need for greater communication and public outreach on marine debris issues.

The National Marine Sanctuary Foundation in coordination with the NOAA Marine Debris Program provided funding to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Division of Aquaculture (FDACS) to host a training workshop targeting the aquaculture industry and shellfish farmers in Cedar Key, FL. The workshop discussed the importance of environmental stewardship and provided practical management techniques to farmers, such as proper gear anchoring methods and severe-storm preparation strategies.

The Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary advisory council’s Marine Debris Working Group developed Goal: Clean Seas Florida Keys, protocols to guide skilled divers in proper marine debris removal and reporting techniques. Permits may be required for certain activities within the sanctuary to ensure that removal is done in an environmentally-responsible manner and adheres to all applicable federal and state laws and regulations. Debris disposal should be coordinated through Monroe County and municipalities.

Regulatory requirements and marine debris removal best management practices checklist used during the Hurricane Irma USCG ESF-10 mission. These BMPs can be used for future marine debris removals throughout the state of Florida. 

The Derelict Blue Crab Trap Removal Manual for Florida  was created to provide guidance to public and private organizations other than the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) to remove derelict traps and trap debris from the waters and shorelines of the state, albeit only with prior FWC authorization. This document is intended to be used by organizations interested in participating in or coordinating retrieval efforts. Information is presented sequentially for organizers coordinating an event. For more information please visit the  FWC Derelict Trap Retrieval and Debris Removal Programs website.