Project Information

Title: Marine Debris Removal Program 13120116-Am2.21.13

Project Year and Number: 2013: 13120116-Am2.21.13

Other Fiscal Years and Numbers for this Project: 2015: 15120116, 2014: 14120116, 2012: 12120116

Principal Investigator (PI): Chris Pallister

Managing Agency: ADFG

Assisting Personnel: None

Project Website: http://www.goak.org/index.asp?L1=2&L2=64

Research Location: Gulf of Alaska

Restoration Category: General Restoration

Injured Resources Addressed: Not Specified

Abstract:

*This project was funded by the Trustee Council in FY12 for $450,097. *Abstracts are excerpted from the proposer's submission. In early 2012, Gulf of Alaska Keeper (GoAK) commenced work on a multi-year marine debris cleanup, EVOSTC Project #12120116, Contract # IHP-12-057. During the summer of 2012, the EVOSTC-funded cleanup work focused on removing decades of built up deposits of marine debris from southwest Prince William Sound (PWS) beaches. While not the focus of the 2012 EVOSTC project, by late April of 2012, it became clear that massive quantities of marine debris emanating from the Japanese tsunami of March 2011 had made its way across the northern Pacific to the shores of Montague Island, Kayak Island, and other Gulf of Alaska beaches. By June 2012, the tsunami debris had penetrated Hinchinbrook Entrance and had begun to disperse throughout portions of PWS. By mid-summer large quantities of Styrofoam, urethane insulation and other foamed-plastic debris had washed ashore on many islands within PWS. In late June 2012, GoAK re-cleaned 14 PWS beaches during an annual marine debris monitoring project. Data collected during the monitoring project established that tsunami debris had already heavily impacted central PWS beaches in the Naked Island group in central PWS, as far west as beaches on Applegate Island to south of Main Bay, and beaches along the northeastern half of the Knight Island archipelago. 2012 marine debris monitoring data shows that both the amount and composition of annual marine debris deposition in PWS increased remarkably from previous years. The annual deposition of Styrofoam and other foamed plastic debris shot up by an average of 7-fold by weight. See figures 1and 2. Japanese plastic bottles and containers holding a wide array of chemicals washed into PWS. Fuel tanks and chemical drums were found on many beaches. Many varieties of Japanese oyster-culture and commercial fishing floats and buoys have lodged on beaches throughout PWS. Many of these floats are made of Styrofoam that quickly shreds along rugged PWS beaches and the bits are then scattered throughout the inter-tidal ecosystem.


Proposal: View (941 KB)

Information and/or Products produced by this project:
Title Description Type Document(s)
Progress Report FY13 Additional Report View (1,471 KB)

Reports:
Final Report: Not available. For current status, please contact us.

Publications from this Project: None Available