Marine Debris Survey

Muriel Ponsler State Scenic Wayside.\Photo courtesy of 100 Steps.

The monthly marine debris survey at Muriel O. Ponsler Memorial State Scenic Viewpoint (about 10 miles north of Florence, and the same distance south from Yachats) takes place on Friday, Oct. 26.  Meet at the wayside at 9 a.m.

Everyone is welcome to participate in this citizen science project, whether by joining the team conducting regular surveys here, or simply to learn the ropes and consider getting involved later, perhaps at another site.  Instructions and materials will be provided.

CoastWatch organizes the marine debris survey and a number of sites up and down the coast.  These monthly surveys are conducted according to a protocol developed by the National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the data collected is used by scientists studying the marine debris problem.  Our partner at this site is the Cape Perpetua Marine Reserve Area Collaborative.

Although we continue to learn more and more about marine debris, there are still many unanswered questions. These include unknowns such as which types of debris are most common in a certain area? Or, how is the problem of marine debris changing over time, and are our efforts to prevent debris effective? The Marine Debris Monitoring and Assessment Project (MDMAP) helps answer these questions and others by collecting baseline data. The data collected through this project can be used to evaluate the impacts of marine debris along our coastlines and can help inform future marine debris mitigation and prevention efforts on a local, regional, and national scale.

Go here for more information on this citizen science effort.

For more information on this event, contact Tara Dubois, capeperpetuacommunications@gmail.com.