Ocean Conservancy Inc

PURPOSE: OCEAN CONSERVANCY AND PARTNERS WILL IMPLEMENT A MULTIFACETED PROJECT TO REMOVE, PREVENT AND MONITOR LARGE MARINE DEBRIS SPECIFICALLY ABANDONED, LOST OR DISCARDED FISHING GEAR (ALDFG, OR GHOST GEAR) AND MARINE DEBRIS THAT IS TOO DIFFICULT TO REMOVE BY HAND DUE TO SIZE, VOLUME AND/OR LOCATION ACROSS THE U.S. PROJECT COMPONENTS INCLUDE: TARGETED REMOVALS OF GHOST GEAR AND DIFFICULT MARINE DEBRIS LED BY KEY IMPLEMENTING PARTNERS IN ALASKA AND FLORIDA. IN ALASKA, THE YAKUTAT TLINGIT TRIBE, SITKA SOUND SCIENCE CENTER, AND NORTON SOUND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION WILL REMOVE GHOST GEAR FROM SHORELINES IN REMOTE AND HARD-TO-ACCESS AREAS IN THE STATES SOUTHWEST REGION. IN FLORIDA, THE LOWER KEYS GUIDES ASSOCIATION WILL LEAD AND ENGAGE LOCAL ANGLERS IN REMOVING MARINE DEBRIS FROM HOTSPOTS IN SHALLOW, NEARSHORE WATER AND WATERSIDE ACCESSIBLE MANGROVES IN THE LOWER KEYS AND KEY WEST. OCEAN CONSERVANCYS COMPETITIVE REGRANTING PROCESS WILL PROVIDE SUPPORT TO 10-20 LOCAL ENTITIES TO CONDUCT AT-SEA OR SHORELINE REMOVALS OF GHOST GEAR OR LARGE MARINE DEBRIS, AND WHERE POSSIBLE PREVENTING, GHOST GEAR AND MARINE DEBRIS WHILE BUILDING CAPACITY FOR SUSTAINED IMPACT, WITH EMPHASIS ON TRADITIONALLY UNDERSERVED AND TRIBAL COMMUNITIES DEVELOPMENT OF BEST PRACTICE FRAMEWORK FOR MANAGEMENT OF RECREATIONAL FISHING GEAR WILL BE LED BY POSEIDON AQUATIC RESOURCES MANAGEMENT AND WILL INCLUDE RISK ASSESSMENTS PER GEAR TYPE AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR PREVENTING LOSS, EXAMINATION OF CURRENT MANAGEMENT OPTIONS, SYNTHESIS OF FINDINGS, CONSULTATIONS WITH KEY STAKEHOLDERS, AND BROAD DISSEMINATION OF THE FINAL REPORT. CONVENING OF TWO PREVENTION-FOCUSED WORKSHOPS WITH FISHERIES STAKEHOLDERS IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA WILL BE LED BY OUR OCEAN OUTCOMES, FOCUSED ON INCREASING UPTAKE OF BEST PRACTICES TO REDUCE THE SCOPE AND IMPACT OF GHOST GEAR. STAKEHOLDER OUTREACH WILL INFORM THE DESIGN AND DELIVERY OF TWO INTERACTIVE WORKSHOPS WITH 35-50 PARTICIPANTS EACH, FOCUSED ON SOLUTIONS TO GHOST GEAR CHALLENGES COMMON TO LOBSTER FISHERS IN THE SANTA BARBARA CHANNEL AND CHANNEL ISLANDS AND COMMERCIAL FISHERS IN THE PORT OF LOS ANGELES AREA. DEVELOPMENT OF A PREDICTIVE MODEL FOR GEAR LOSS ACCUMULATION IN SOUTHEAST ALASKA TO IDENTIFY LIKELY SITES OF GEAR LOSS AND ACCUMULATION TO PRIORITIZE BOTH PREVENTION AND REMOVAL EFFORTS. THIS WILL BE LED BY NATURAL RESOURCES CONSULTANTS, EXPERTS IN CONDUCTING THIS TYPE OF RESEARCH AND PRODUCING REPORTS WITH RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FOCUSING REMOVAL EFFORTS. THE IMPACT OF LARGE MARINE DEBRIS AND THIS PROJECTS REMOVAL EFFORTS WILL BE MONITORED BY COLLECTING DATA ON ALL RECOVERED DEBRIS VIA THE GGGI DATA PORTAL AND ICC DATABASE AND USING THE INPUTS TO EXPAND OCEAN CONSERVANCYS FORTHCOMING ANIMAL IMPACT CALCULATOR TO INCLUDE THE IMPACT OF GHOST GEAR, PROVIDING STAKEHOLDERS WITH INFORMATION TO INFORM FUTURE EFFORTS. EXPECTED OUTCOMES INCLUDE: COLLECTING AT LEAST 600,000 POUNDS OF LARGE MARINE DEBRIS FROM SHORELINES AND OCEAN, PERFORMING AT LEAST 80 REMOVALS VIA KEY PARTNERS AND COMPETITIVE AWARDEES AND ENGAGING 500+ VOLUNTEERS IN REMOVAL AND PREVENTION ACTIVITIES, AND PRODUCING HIGH-VISIBILITY COVERAGE THROUGH NATIONAL AND GLOBAL MEDIA OUTLETS, CREATIVE PARTNERSHIPS, SOCIAL PLATFORMS, VIDEOS AND KEY CONFERENCES

DESCRIPTION:THE PURPOSE OF THIS AWARD IS TO PROVIDE FUNDING TO THE OCEAN CONSERVANCY TO PERFORM MARINE DEBRIS BACKHAUL IN ALASKA.ACTIVITIES:AS PART OF THIS PROJECT, THE OCEAN CONSERVANCY WILL 1) BACKHAUL MARINE DEBRIS FROM PAST AND FUTURE CLEANUP EFFORTS, 2) FACILITATE MARINE DEBRIS COLLECTION EVENTS, 3) PERFORM SYSTEM ANALYSIS OF AVAILABLE VESSELS AND ROUTS, AND 4) MODEL PILOT FOR MARINE DEBRIS BACKHAUL IN ALASKA.SUBRECIPIENT:$1,010,000 IN SUBAWARDS FOR PERFORMANCE AS FOLLOWS: - PAYING FOR SPACE ON FISHING BARGES AND SHIPPING VESSELS TO TRANSPORT MARINE DEBRIS FROM STORAGE LOCATIONS TO DISPOSAL AND RECYCLING FACILITIES. - TRIBES, TRIBAL NONPROFITS, AND COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS TO MANAGE REPACKING DEBRIS INTO SUPER SACKS AND FACILITATE TRANSPORT. THIS INCLUDES HIRING LOCAL COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO SORT AND PACK DEBRIS, STIPENDS FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS, AND PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT (PPE) NECESSARY TO SAFELY SORT AND REPACK DEBRIS.OUTCOMES:THE ACTIVITIES UNDER THIS PROJECT WILL BENEFIT AND PROTECT PUBLIC HEALTH BY IMPROVING SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT IN COASTAL ALASKA COMMUNITIES, AND RESULT IN A CLEANER, HEALTHIER ENVIRONMENT.

TO SUPPORT VIETNAM'S FORTHCOMING NATIONAL ACTION PLAN ON MARINE PLASTIC WASTE MANAGEMENT (NAP).

INTERNATIONAL COASTAL CLEANUP: MARINE DEBRIS PREVENTION AND REMOVAL

EMPOWERING COASTAL COMMUNITIES TO ADDRESS MARINE DEBRIS THROUGH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE INTERNATIONAL COASTAL CLEANUP

IMPLEMENTATION OF THE INTERNATIONAL COASTAL CLEANUP AND A RIGOROUS ANALYSIS OF U.S. MARINE DEBRIS DATA SETS

PARTNERING WITH LOCAL FISHERS TO REMOVE DERELICT FISHING GEAR IN THE GULF OF MAINE

THIS TRANSBOUNDARY INITIATIVE WILL INVOLVE ACTIVITIES ALONG NORTH AMERICA'S PACIFIC COAST FROM CANADA TO MEXICO, WITH AN INITIAL FOCUS ON PREVENTING GHOST GEAR IN CALIFORNIA STATE WATERS AND MEXICO'S PACIFIC COAST, INCLUDING THE SEA OF CORTEZ. THE PROJECT AIMS TO REDUCE THE SCOPE AND IMPACT OF ABANDONED, LOST OR DISCARDED FISHING GEAR (ALDFG) USING PROVEN BEST PRACTICES THAT PROTECT MARINE LIFE, PRESERVE IMPORTANT ECOSYSTEMS, DECREASE GHOST FISHING, AND OPEN UP INACCESSIBLE FISHING GROUNDS BY REDUCING NAVIGATIONAL HAZARDS. THE FOLLOWING ACTIVITIES WILL BE IMPLEMENTED OVER THE 2-YEAR PROJECT: LAUNCH THE NORTH AMERICAN NET COLLECTION INITIATIVE (NANCI) BASED ON THE SUCCESSFUL NET POSITIVA PROGRAM, A CIRCULARITY MODEL OF COLLECTING AND TRANSFORMING END-OF-LIFE FISHING NETS INTO HIGH-VALUE CONSUMER GOODS, RESULTING IN AN EXPECTED 200,000 POUNDS OF END-OF-LIFE FISHING NETS TO BE COLLECTED AND RECYCLED; FACILITATE DEVELOPMENT OF MEXICO'S NATIONAL ALDFG ACTION PLAN AND STRENGTHEN REGIONAL LEA

THROUGH THIS AWARD, THE OCEAN CONSERVANCY (OC) WILL EXPAND THE INTERNATIONAL COASTAL CLEANUP (ICC) AND ENGAGE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF VOLUNTEERS FROM AROUND THE WORLD TO REMOVE MILLIONS OF POUNDS OF MARINE DEBRIS FROM COASTAL AND INLAND WATERWAYS. THE OC WILL DOCUMENT THE DEBRIS REMOVED AND COLLECT, TABULATE AND ANALYZE THE ICC DATA TO PROVIDE SNAPSHOTS OF MARINE DEBRIS BY LOCATION AND ITEM THROUGH THE ANNUAL OCEAN TRASH INDEX. THE AWARD WILL CONTINUE A MAJOR GOAL OF THE ICC, WHICH HAS ALWAYS BEEN TO EXPAND PUBLIC AWARENESS ABOUT THE ISSUE OF MARINE DEBRIS AND TO CREATE GREATER GLOBAL UNDERSTANDING AND ENGAGEMENT IN ADDRESSING THE MARINE DEBRIS CRISIS. IN ADDITION TO COORDINATION OF THE ICC, THE OC WILL HOST A GLOBAL URBAN OCEAN SUMMIT TO LEVERAGE FUNDING FROM INVITED INVESTORS/FUNDERS AND RESOURCES TO CREATE PARTNERSHIPS AND FOSTER KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE AND PEER-TO-PEER LEARNING AMONG CITIES THROUGHOUT THE WORLD TO ADVANCE CIRCULAR ECONOMY AND URBAN RESILIENCE SOLUTIONS TO MARINE DEBRIS

OCEAN CONSERVANCY MARINE DEBRIS PREVENTION EDUCATION AND OUTREACH PARTNERSHIP

THIS MIAMI-DADE COUNTY PROJECT BEING LED BY THE OCEAN CONSERVANCY AND IN PARTNERSHIP WITH DEBRIS FREE OCEANS AND BIG BLUE AND YOU, WILL TRAIN HIGH SCHOOL YOUTH AMBASSADORS TO ENGAGE LOCAL BUSINESSES ACROSS FIVE ETHNICALLY DIVERSE COMMUNITIES IN CHANGING THEIR BEHAVIORS AND OPERATIONS TO REDUCE SINGLE-USE PLASTICS SUCH AS FOOD AND BEVERAGE CONTAINERS, PLASTIC BAGS AND STRAWS. EIGHT PUBLIC SCHOOLS WILL BE INVOLVED IN THE PROJECT, WITH APPROXIMATELY 120 YOUTH PARTICIPATING OF WHICH OVER 90% IDENTIFY AS A MINORITY. EACH YOUTH WILL COMMIT TO AT LEAST ONE SPECIFIC BEHAVIOR CHANGE OF THEIR OWN AND 24 STUDENTS WILL BECOME PEER MENTORS AND/OR JUNIOR SUSTAINABILITY CONSULTANTS. YOUTH WILL ENGAGE IN PEER-TO-PEER MENTORSHIPS, COMMUNITY EVENTS, SUCH AS CLEANUPS TO PROMOTE ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP, AND THE FINAL CAPSTONE EVENT WHERE THEY WILL PRESENT SUCCESSES. THROUGH THE STUDENT-LED EFFORTS, APPROXIMATELY 240 BUSINESSES WILL BE CONTACTED AND 96 BUSINESSES WILL COMMIT TO THE CAMPAIGN AND RECEIVE C

THE GLOBAL CITIES MARINE DEBRIS INITIATIVE

GROWING A COLLECTIVE EFFORT TO STEM THE FLOW OF PLASTICS POLLUTION INTO WATERWAYS AND THE OCEAN IN ASIA PACIFIC

TO REDUCE MARINE DEBRIS THROUGH CAPACITY BUILDING FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF ENVIRONMENTALLY SUSTAINABLE WASTE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS.

NEW PERSPECTIVES ON A PERSISTENT PROBLEM: EXAMINING THE GLOBAL DISTRIBUTION OF MARINE DEBRIS AND ENGAGING THE PUBLIC IN A MOVEMENT FOR TRASH FREE SE

TALKING TRASH AND TAKING ACTION: A MULTI-PRONGED CAMPAIGN TO EDUCATE AND ENGAGE CONSTITUENCIES IN MARINE DEBRIS SOLUTIONS

REMOVAL OF ENTANGLING DEBRIS FROM TAMPA BAY FISHING PIERS: ENTANGLEMENT PREVENTION AND HABITAT RESTORATION

SUPPORT REQUEST FOR OCEAN CONSERVANCY'S WORK TO ADVANCE THE INTERNATIONAL MARINE DEBRIS CONFERENCE

TO INCREASE UNDERSTANDING OF THE SCOPE, IMPACT, AND FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO ALDFG IN THE ATLANTIC OCEAN AND PROVIDE ATLANTIC PARTNERSHIP MEMBER STATES WITH ACTIONABLE INFORMATION TO GUIDE INTERVENTIONS TO REDUCE GHOST GEAR.