Marine debris results from storm-damaged docks, houses, and yards; lost fishing gear; poorly managed construction sites; abandoned boats; plastics contained in wastewater and stormwater discharges; and careless littering. The Coastal Federation partnered with community groups, academia, and government agencies in 2020 to develop and adopt the N.C. Marine Debris Action Plan to both clean up and prevent debris large and small.
The Coastal Federation will work for the reduced use of single-use plastics, advocate for more storm-resilient building and maintenance practices for docks and piers, and promote improved treatment and disposal of wastewater and stormwater to reduce the number of microplastics being discharged to coastal waters.
We also partner with state and local partners to continue to mobilize fishers and contractors to remove tons of debris, lost crab pots, and abandoned vessels. This work will be supported with a $500,000 appropriation from N.C. General Assembly adding to the over 2 million pounds of debris removed since 2019.
We also continue to partner with federal, state, and local agencies to refine programs to reduce the number of abandoned boats and debris along our coast and conduct extensive education and outreach about the importance of marine debris prevention and improved understanding through research.
