DESCRIPTION AND STATUS OF TASKS IN … 95-01.pdfthe MERP's education and public awareness program.,...

AlaskaFisheries ScienceCenter

National MarineFisheries Service

U.S DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

AFSC PROCESSED REPORT 95-01

Description and Status of Tasks in theNational Oceanic and AtmosphericAdministration's Marine EntanglementResearch Programfor Fiscal Years 1991-1995

May 2005

This report does not constitute a publication and is for information only.All data herein are to be considered provisional.

Notice to Users of this Document

This document is being made available in .PDF format for the convenience of users; however, the accuracy and correctness of the document can only be certified as was presented in the original hard copy format.

DESCRIPTION AND STATUS OF TASKS IN THENATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION'S

MARINE ENTANGLEMENT RESEARCH PROGRAMFOR FISCAL YEARS 1991 - 1995

John C. Clary

and

James M. Coe

National Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationNational Marine Fisheries ServiceAlaska Fisheries Science Center

Marine Entanglement Research Program7600 Sand Point Way NE

BIN C15700Seattle, WA 98115

May 1995

iii

PREFACE

The purpose of this document is to catalog and update the programtasks undertaken by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS)Marine Entanglement Research Program (MERP) since Fiscal Year 1991.Program tasks were updated through Fiscal Year 1991 in AFSCProcessed Report 91-12, which is available from the MERP manager.Task scopes of work, status, costs and products are presented.Publications and reports referenced herein may be requested. fromtheir publishers or the MERP manager:

National Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationNational Marine Fisheries Service, F /AKCMarine Entanglement Research Program7600 Sand Point Way NEBIN C15700Seattle, WA 98115-0070

Addi tional information about the impacts of marine debris can beobtained from NOAA' s Marine Debris Information Offices which areoperated under contract by the Center for Marine Conservation:

Pacific Marine Debris Information Office312 Sutter Street, Suite 606San Francisco, CA 94108(415) 391-6204 FAX (415) 956-7441

Atlantic and Gulf of MexicoMarine Debris Information Office1725 DeSales Street, NW, Suite 500Washington, D. C. 20036(202) 429-5609 FAX (202) 872-0619

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The cover artwork was designed by Ms. Katherine Zecca of the AlaskaFisheries Science Center Graphics Unit.

vii

CONTENT S

Introduction'

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Funding Plan for Fiscal Year 1991.........................

Fiscal Year 1991 Activities to Address ProblemsAssociated with Marine Debris..........

....... . . . . . . . . . .

Funding Plan for Fiscal Year 1992.........................

Fiscal Year 1992 ~ctivities to Address ProblemsAssociated with Marine Debris..................

. . . . . . . . .

Funding Plan for Fiscal Year 1993.

...... ........ .........

Fiscal Year 1993 Activities to Address ProblemsAssociated with Marine Debris.........

..... ..........

Funding Plan for Fiscal Year 1994......

... ........

Fiscal Year 1994 Activities to Address ProblemsAssociated with Marine Debris...

...... ...... .... .......

Funding Plan for Fiscal Year 1995.

.................. ......

Fiscal Year 1995 Activities to Address ProblemsAssociated with Marine Debris...

................ ........

Page

INTRODUCTION

In response to growing public concern over the ' impacts of marinedebris on wildlife, Congress, beginning in Fiscal Year (FY) 1985,appropriated funds for the National Oceanic and AtmosphericAdministration' (NOAA) Marine Entanglement Research Program(MERP) The M~RP budget has gradually been reduced from a high of$1, 000, 000 in FY 85 to $624, 100 in FY 95. To facilitate the overall reduction of the impacts of persistentwastes on marine and coastal resources, environments and commerce,the MERP is constituted to accomplish the following:

1 ) Identify, monitor, and evaluate adverse impacts ofpersistent marine debris upon the marine environment and1 i ving marine resources;

2 ) Design and implement educational materials and programs toinform industry and the public of the problems caused bypersistent marine debris and of the range of availablesolutions;

3 ) Minimize the amounts of marine debris entering the oceansfrom all sources by developing procedures, equipment andprograms and, where necessary, recommending regulations toprevent the loss or disposal of persistent debris into themarine, coastal, urban and upland environments.

To accomplish these obj ecti ves, the program is divided into threemajor areas of activity: education, mitigation, and impactsresearch and monitoring. The MERP accepts recommendations fortasks at any time. All such recommendations are considered forinclusion in the coming year s program during the annual MERPAd Hoc Advisory Committee review, usually in June. Ini tially, impacts research and monitoring accounted for nearlyone-half of the program' s funds. As research activities uncoveredmore facts, more and more of the program' s funds were directed toeducation and mitigation tasks. In FY 94, education tasksaccounted for 34% of program funding; mitigation, 25%; impactsresearch and monitoring, 25%; and program management, 16%. The education and public awareness component was originallydesigned to target the industrial and commercial segments of themari time community. It soon became clear that the fundamentalbasis for the ultimate mitigation of the marine debris problem was

broad-based education program reaching all segments of society.Regional programs that were established in 1985 have evolved intonational programs that include the entire United States, the

Caribbean Region and the Pacific Islands. Currently, the MarineDebris Information Offices (MDIOs) comprise the major portion

the MERP' s education and public awareness program., Education tasksalso include the planning and conduct of the Third InternationalConference on Marine Debris, support for and participation in otherrelated meetings and conferences and local speaking engagements byprogram personnel.

While the ultimate mitigation of the marine debris problem will bethe direct result of public outreach and increased awareness,active debris-removal projects and implementation of solid wastemanagement strategies have been in progress for several years.Mi tigation proj ects are directed towards reducing the amount

solid wastes, particularly plastics, that are discharged into thesea, whether directly or indirectly. Projects include beach clean-ups, solid waste management strategies and guidelines for vesselsand ports and fishing gear recovery and recycling programs.

The impacts research and monitoring tasks are designed to increaseour understanding of the origin, amount, distribution, fate andeffects of plastics and other synthetic debris in the marineenvironment. Initially, much effort was directed at the Bering Seaand Gulf of Alaska because of the heavy commercial fishing pressureon the region and the resultant high levels of fishing gear-marinemammal interactions. Research efforts have gradually expanded toinclude most of the coastal regions of the United States.The following sections provide a description of the taskscomprising the program for FYs 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994 and 1995,status of each task and summary tables showing distribution

funds for each year. This document updates AFSC Processed Report91-12, Description and Status of Tasks in the National Oceanic andAtmospheric Administration' s Marine Entanqlement Research ProgramFor Fiscal Years 1985 - 1991.

FUNDING PLAN FOR FISCAL YEAR 1991ENTANGLEMENT PROGRAM TASKS

FISCAL YEAR 1991 APPROPRIATION

TASK NO.

2 .

3 .

TASK TITLE

EDUCATION AND PUBLIC AWARENESS

Marine Debris Information Offices (continued)

Marine Debris Education Program Supplies(continued)

Distribution of "MARPOL Information Packets" viau. S. Coast Guard Networks

Pacific Regional Marine Debris Awareness

MITIGATION

National Coastal Cleanup Campaign (continued)

Debris Removal from Hawaiian Monk Seal Beaches(continued)

Production of a Procedures Manual for the SafeDisentanglement of Cetaceans

Economic Aspects of Marine Debris (continued)

Supplement for IMO Guidelines for theImplementation of MARPOL Annex V

f . Puerto Rico Port proj ect (continued)

IMPACTS RESEARCH AND MONITORING

Surveys of Entangling Debris on Alaska Beachescontinued)

National Seashore Marine Debris Survey Program(continued, funded with FY 90 funds)

Evaluation of Ghost Fishing of Plastic LobsterTraps Effect of Persistent Marine Debris on Juvenile,Pelagic Sea Turtles (continued)

$703.

FUNDINGLEVEL

$ 79.

$ 83.

$ 50.

$ 25. OK

O. OK

$100. OK

$ 62.

$ 20.

$ 42. OK

O. OK

$ 20.

$' 38.

Juvenile Male Fur Seal Survivorship andEntanglement in Marine Debris (continued)

$ 25.

North Pacific Fisheries Observer Debris DataCollection

$ 28.

MANAGEMENT

Program Management $ 75.

FISCAL YEAR 1991 ACTIVITIES TO ADDRESSPROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH MARINE DEBRIS


Marine debris info~ation offices (supplemental funding)$ 79. ?It

These offices provide the mechanisms through whichinformation and materials on the marine debris problem andits solutions are distributed. One office is located inWashington, D. C., and one office is located in San Francisco,California. These offices are supplied by the MarineEntanglement Research Program (MERP) with the necessarymaterials to disseminate information on the marine debrisproblem nationwide. Operators of these offices are alsoencouraged to seek assistance from industry and publicorganizations. Increased public demand for information hasnecessi tated supplementary funding to the original fundingbase established last year.

Status: This is a continuing program which has beenoverwhelmingly successful. A final report summarizing FY- 91activities and. the contract transition period (see FY 92)is available from the MERP office.

Marine debris education program supplies (continued)$ 83. 4It

This is a fund to be used by the MERP manager to provide theMarine Debris Information Offices with materials needed tomeet public and industry demands. Funds set aside underthis task will be utilized to supply necessary educationalmaterials such as posters, brochures, reprints, videotapes,etc.Status: This is a continuing program. Because of thesuccess of the program, public demand for marine debriseducation materials remained very high. A final reportsummarizing FY 91 activities and the contract transitionperiod (see FY 92) is available from the MERP office.

Distribution of "MARPOL Info~tion Packets" via u.Coas t Guard networks (continued) 8. SIt

Funds from this proj ect were used to reprint existingeducational material for distribution through the U. s. CoastGuard Auxiliary network. A mandatory and courtesy vesselinspection program is operated by U. S. Coast Guard activ~ andauxiliary members. The Marine Plastic Pollution Research andControl Act (MPPRCA) of 1987 directs NOAA, the U.

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the U. S. Departmentof Transportation to operate a plastic pollution educationprogram. This proj ect met those requirements under the MPPRCAwhile distributing important educational materials to boaters.

Status: This is an on-going cooperative project. between NOAAand the U. S. Coast Guard.

Pacific regional marine debris awareness

This proj ect established a marine debris education program inthe Hawaiian Islands, utilizing the existing Sea Granteducation network. The proj ect produced regionally orientedmarine debris education material for distribution in theislands.Status: This was a multi-year program, with expansion intothe Pacific Islands Network (PIN) planned.

2 . MITIGATION

National beach cleanup campaign (continued) $ SO. OK

This task provides partial funding to continue theestablished annual National Coastal Cleanup Campaign heldduring COASTWEEKS. The MERP and EPA cooperate in providingfunds for this activity to promote national public awarenessof the marine debris problem and assist in the cleanup andprevention of coastal and shoreline debris.Status: This proj ect continues. Annual, reports areavailable from the Center for Marine Conservation, 1725DeSales Street, NW, Suite 500, Washington, D. C., 20036,(202) 429-5609.

Debris removal from Hawaiian monk seal beachescontinued) $ 25.

This task provided assistance to research teams workingto understand and protect the highly endangered Hawaiian monkseal. In the Northwest Hawaiian Islands, these teams makeannual visits to monk seal hauling and pupping beaches togather, catalog, and destroy all of the entangling materialwashed ashore.

Status: This is a continuing proj ect .available from the MERP office.

Periodic reports are

Production of a manual for the safe disentanglementof cetaceans O.

Funds for this proj ect will be used to produce a proceduresmanual for the disentanglement of living whales and othermarine mammals.

Status: Unresolved questions with the project' s scope ofwork and the appropriate agency to conduct the researchprompted MERP management to redirect these funds, to coverincreased costs associated with the production of thesupplement to IMO Guidelines for, the Implementation of MARPOLAnnex V (MERP task 2e, below)

Economic aspects of marine debris (continued) $100. OK

This task continued (through the Sea Grant CollegeProgram) selected research proj ects on the economic impact ofmarine debris. Sea Grant and the MERP jointly selectedseveral research proposals addressing important issuesidentified by the Economic Working Group during the SecondInternational Conference on Marine Debris.

Status: This is continuing work being conducted byresearchers at North Carolina State University, University ofMaryland, University of Rhode Island and Virginia Instituteof Marine Sciences.

Supplement for IMO guidelines for the implementation ofKARPOL Annex $ 62.

This task synthesized all relevant information on significantissues affecting the implementation of MARPOL Annex V intoclear and practical supplements for the InternationalMaritime Organization (IMO) "Guidelines for theImplementation of Annex V of MARPOL 73/78. Emphasis placedon provision of adequate port reception facilities.Status: A comprehensive synthesis of port waste receptioninformation, including recommended actions to supplementexisting IMO guidelines for the provision of adequate portreception facilities, was completed. The report was acceptedby the U. S. Coast Guard to be presented by the U. S .delegation as an action paper to the 31st meeting of the IMOMarine Environmental Protection Committee. The report isavailable from the MERP office:

Kearney/Centaur Division of A. T. Kearney, Inc. andL. Martinez. , 1991. Revision of the Port ReceptionFacility Section of the IMO Guidelines for theImplementation of MARPOL Annex V. 92 p.

Puerto Rico port project (continued) $ 20. OK

As modified by the Ad Hoc Committee on Entanglement, thistask continued work on the design and implementation inPuerto Rico of a model port/marina proj ect involving marinedebris education and the development of an adequate refusereception facility. The project placed the major emphasis onSpanish-speaking educational supplements, and was modeledafter the outline provided in NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFSF/NWR-23, "Dealing with Annex V-Reference Guide for Ports.

Status: A symposium followed project implementation,reporting results and addressing common and regional marinedebris issues in the Gulf and Caribbean regions.

3 . IMPACTS RESEARCH AND MONITORING

Surveys of entangling debris on Alaska beachescontinued) $ 42. OK

This task continued the collection of baseline data ondeposi tion of debris on the remote beaches of Alaska.Obj ecti ves of the task were to make the followingdeterminations: the type and quanti ties of plastic debristhat commonly wash ashore; the deposition rate ofentangling debris and; the feasibility of using low- flyingaircraft to survey beaches for plastic debris, especiallyfor i terns such as trawl webs and monof ilament gillnet.Status: This is a continuing project. A report summarizingthe results of aerial surveys is available from the MERPoffice:

Johnson, S. W. 1992. Fixed-Wing Aerial PhotographySurveys of Plastic Debris on an Alaskan Beach. AFSCProcessed Report 92 - 04. 8p.

Na tional seashore marine debris survey program(continued, funded with $33. OK in FY 90 funds)

This task provided funding for a continuing cooperativeagreement with the National Parks Service (NPS) for theconduct of systematic surveys of debris arriving on selectedbeaches in each region of the United States. The datacollected in this acti vi ty will be used to systematicallyevaluate the sources, amounts, and distributional dynamics ofseaborne debris on various regions of the United States. Thesedata differ from those collected by voluntary beach cleanupsbecause the scientific methods used will allow expansion ofdebris loading with time. The methods used in these surveysare the same methods used in the Alaska beach surveys.

status: This is a continuing proj ect. Annuai reports areavailable from the MERP office.

Evaluation of ghost fishing of plastic lobster traps$ 20.

The occurrence of ghost fishing through lost or discardedfishing gear has become an increasing concern to resourcemanagers as degradable gear has been replaced by persistentsynthetic materials. This project will examine the aspectsof the ghost fishing problem using plastic lobster trapstested in the laboratory and in the field.Status: Research on this task was completed and concludedthat little direct mortality of lobsters is due to an inabilityto exit traps. Therefore, ghost fishing by these traps wasnot considered a problem for Hawaiian slipper and spinylobsters.

Parrish, F. A., and T. K. Kazama. 1992. Evaluation ofGhost Fishing in the Hawaiian Lobster Fishery. Fish.Bull., u. S. 90: 720 - 725.

Effect of persistent marine debris on juvenile pelagicsea turtles (continued) $ 38. SK

Funds for this task provided continued research on theeffects of marine debris on juvenile sea turtles. The studydefines the little known juvenile sea turtle populations anddetermines the extent to which marine debris has a negativeeffect on the turtles wi thin these habitats. Primaryinvestigation areas will be the western Atlantic (alongFlorida beaches in cooperation with the Florida Department ofNatural Resources) and in the Azores, wher~ a population ofpelagic loggerhead turtles has recently been discovered.Status: This is a continuing project.available from the MERP office:

An interim report is

Bolten, A. B., and K. A. Bjorndal. 1991. Effectof Marine Debris on Juvenile Pelagic Sea Turtles. 41

Juvenile male fur seal survivorship and entanglement inmarine debris (continued) $2S . OK

Entanglement has been suggested to have contributed to thenorthern fur seal population decline since the late 1960s.This task continued the evaluation of entanglement ratesand survivorship among juvenile male fur seals of thepribilof Islands population.

In the final year of this study, work continued toward thetesting of two hypotheses: 1) the mortality rate forentangled juvenile male fur seals is the same for entangledjuvenile males, and 2) the current rate of observed on- landentanglement is unchanged in recent years.Status: Work on this project was completed during, summer 1991.The final report is available from the MERP office:

Fowler, C. W., R. Ream, B. Robson and M. Kiyota. 1992.Entanglement Studies, St. Paul 'Island, 1991 Juvenile MaleNorthern Fur Seals. AFSC Processed Report 92 - 07. 45 p.

North Pacific fisheries observer debris data collection$ 28.

Attempts to develop no-cost observer data collection andarchiving of marine debris information were not successful.During FY 91, the NMFS placed up to' 600 observers in theNorth Pacific under three separate programs. These observerswere not systematically gathering data on the distributionand density of the types of marine debris. Funds for thistask will provide for the collection, evaluation, andreporting of marine debris data collected by observers atsea.

Status: This is a continuing project.available from the MERP office.

Annual reports are

4 . MANAGEMENT

Program management $ 7 S .

Funds allocated to this task support the office of the MERPmanager. The manager carries out the annual program plan forMERP and represents NMFS/NOAA on marine debris issues duringconferences and meetings with colleagues, constituents andthe general publ ic .

Status: This is a continuing task. In addition toeffectively running the program, MERP management gave anumber of presentations on persistent marine debris duringnational and international meetings, to educators andstudents and recreational and commercial fishermen. Whilethese presentations were not published, discussion papers areavailable from the MERP office:

Coe, J. M. 1990. Discussion Paper on ManagementOptions to Control Marine Mammal Mortality in PassiveFishing Gear. ~npublished manuscript. 10 p.(Submitted during the IWC Workshop on Mortality ofCetaceans in Passive Fishing Nets and Traps, La Jolla,California, October, 1990)

Coe, J. M. 1990. Discussion Paper on PersistentMarine Debris. Unpublished manuscript. 4 p.

(Prepared for Asia- Pacific Economic Cooperation:Experts' Workshop on Marine Resource Conservation,Vancouver, B. C., November, 1990.



TASK NO.

2 .


TASK TITLE

Marine Debris Information Offices, Transition(10/1/91 - 4/30/92)

Marine Debris Information Offices, Year 1 ofS-Year Option Program (5/1/92 - 4/30/93)

Distribution of MARPOL Information Packetscontinued)

North Pacific Marine Debris Awareness Campaigncontinued)

Smithsonian Education Initiatives

Marine Debris Outreach Campaign in the Gulf ofMexico and Wider Caribbean

MITIGATION


Debris Removal From Hawaiian Monk Seal Beachescontinued)

National Research Council Marine Board Study

Economic Aspects of Marine Debris (continued)

International Promotion of Annex V Ratificationand Implementation

Review of State Actions Toward Compliance WithMARPOL V

$685.

FUND INGLEVEL

$ 96.

$140. OK

8.

0 . 5K

$ SO.

$ 61.

$ 20.

$ 32.

$ 67.

5 . OK


Surveys of Entangling Debris on Alaska Beaches(continued)

National Seashore Marine Debris Survey Program(continued)

Fisheries Observer Marine Debris proj ect(continued)

Effect of Persistent Marine Debris on Juvenile,Pelagic Sea Turtles in the Northeast Atlanticcontinued)

New Sampling Methodology for Capturing PelagicJuvenile Marine Turtles in Surface ConvergenceZones to Assess the Impact of Marine Debris

Disentanglement of Large Whales in the S. Gulfof Maine

MANAGEMENT

Program Management

$ 30.

$ 37. 1K

$ 16.

$ 40. 5K

$ 2S.

$ 60. 8K


1 . EDUCATION AND PUBLIC AWARENESS

Marine debris info~ation offices, transition(10/1/91 - 4/30/92) $ 96.

These ,offices provide the mechanisms through whichinformation and materials on the marine debris problem andits solutions are distributed. Offices are located inWashington, D. C., and San Francisco, California. Theseoffices distribute educational and informational materialsnationwide to industry and the general public.Status: This program has been overwhelmingly successful inthe quantity and quality of marine debris education materialdelivered to the public. Activities include the distributionof information packets, providing materials for the print andelectronic media, and for educators and others conductingpresentations, seminars and briefings. The existing contractwas extended to provide fiscal year overlap for the programwhile the new 5 -year contract was completed and awarded.A final report summarizing activities for FY 91 and theextension period was prepared by the Center for MarineConservation (CMC) and is available from the MERP manager.

Marine debris info~ation offices, year 1 of5 -year option program $140.

The success of the Marine Debris Information Offices promptedthe MERP management to seek to continue their operation. Theoriginal contract with CMC was extended to allow fiscal yearoverlap and to allow adequate time for start-up of the newcontract. The MERP management completed a solicitation for ayear contract (1 year plus 4 option years based upon

performance) so that the MDIOs could operate long-term. Thenew contract was awarded to CMC and went into effect May 1992.

A final report for the period May 1, 1992 - April 30, 1993was prepared by the contractor and is available from the MERPmanager.

Status: This proj ect continues.

Distribution of KARPOL Annex info~tion to vesseloperators using existing U. s. Coast Guard networks

8 .

The MERP has occasionalily received assistance from the U. S .Coast Guard in distributing information on the impacts ofpersistent marine debris. These efforts have principallybeen through the distribution of brochures during SafeBoating Week.

In FY 91 the MERP supplied the national U. S. Coast GuardAuxiliary with information placards and brochures as part of a"MARPOL Information Kit" for distribution to boaters throughthe Auxiliary s courtesy inspection program. This efforteffectively utilized an existing network directly related toboaters. The next step in this effort was to expand thedistribution of marine debris materials through other programsoperated by the U. S. Coast Guard and the U. S. Coast GuardAuxiliary, including mandatory vessel inspection programs andbasic sailing, boating and seamanship classes. The MERPsupplied 100, 000 brochures and 50, 000 MARPOL placards to meetthis need and to supplement the distribution effort begun inFY 91 .

Status: This project is an on-going cooperative effortbetween NOAA and the U S. Coast Guard.

Marine debris awareness campaign for the North Pacific(continued) , 8.

A primary objective of the 1991 Hawaii Ocean ResourcesManagement Plan placed high priority on protecting theenvironmental quality of Hawaii' s coastal waters. To helpachieve this goal, Sea Grant was asked to provide assistanceto state educational agencies.

In 1991, the MERP provided funds through the National SeaGrant College Program to the University of Hawaii (UH) SeaGrant College Program to incorporate marine debris educationproj ects into their statewide public outreach programs.Continued funding enabled UH Sea Grant to expand theseefforts into the Pacific Islands Network (PIN) nations,incl uding American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the NorthernMarianas Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, Palauand Guam.


Smi thsonian education ini tia ti ves

The marine debris education initiative within MERP hasproduced, or cooperated in the production of, a wide range of

educational materials for audiences of all types. Oneimportant aspect of the initiative has been to utilizeexisting networks to promote public awareness of the marinedebris problem and its solutions. Development of a portabledisplay to be included with the Smithsonian Institution'traveling exhibit about the oceans was deemed to be anexcellent addition to the public awareness initiative.Status: This project was never approved by the SmithsonianInstitution' s Chief of Special Exhibits and was abandoned.

Marine debris outreach campaign in the Gulf of Mexico andWider Caribbean $ SO.

Under the International Convention for the Prevention ofPollution from Ships (MARPOL 73/78), areas of the world'oceans that have unique oceanographic features, environmentalconditions or traffic characteristics can be designated asSpecial Areas. In November 1990, the Marine EnvironmentProtection Committee (MEPC) of the International MaritimeOrganization (IMO), agreed in principle to Special Areadesignation for the Wider Caribbean Region, which includesthe Gulf of Mexico, under MARPOL Annex V. With Special Areadesignation, not only must ships operating in the regionabide with what are essentially zero discharge regulations(wi th the exception of food wastes that may be discharged noless than 12 nautical miles from nearest land), but partynations bordering a Special Area must ensure that adequateport reception facilities to handle these wastes are available.Since Special Area designation will have a direct impact onU. S. states and territories ~ the MERP decided to extend themarine debris public awareness campaign into the CaribbeanRegion. To develop a strategy for conducting this typeactivity in the region and build support for the Special Areadesignation, the MERP entered into a cooperative agreementwi th the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission CaribbeanSubcommission (IOCARIBE) The MERP assisted with fundingand acted in an advisory capacity while IOCARIBE had directresponsibili ty for development and implementation. IOCARIBEcontracted with the Center for Marine Conservation forassistance in developing the education strategy which wasexpected to be ready for review and implementation in late1993 .


2 . MITIGATION

Na tional coas tal cleanup campaign $ 61.

This task provides partial funding to continue theestablished annual National Coastal Cleanup Campa~gn heldduring COASTWEEKS. The MERP and EPA cooperate in providingfunds for this activity to promote national public awarenessof the marine debris problem and assist in the cleanup andprevention of coastal and shoreline debris.Status: This project continues. Annual Reports areavailable from the Center for Marine Conservation, 1725DeSales Street, NW, Suite 500, Washington, D.C. 20036,(202) 429-5609.

Debris removal from Hawaiian monk seal beaches $ 20.

This task provides funding assistance to the research teamsworking to understand and protect the highly endangeredHawaiian monk seal. In the Northwest Hawaiian Islands, theseteams make annual visits to monk seal hauling and puppingbeaches to gather, catalog and destroy all of the entangling,material that has come ashore. Status: This proj ect continues.available from the MERP office.


National research council marine board study of U. s.implementation of KARPOL Annex V $ 32. 5K

a result of discussions with the U. S. MaritimeAdministration, EPA, NOAA, U. S. Coast Guard, U. S. Navy andMarine Mammal Commission, the National Research Council'Marine Board proposed to convene the Committee on ShipborneWastes to conduct a 2 -year study of U. S. implementation of,and compliance with, MARPOL Annex V. The committee wouldexamine the roles and responsibilities of government andindustry, waste management strategies, and available anddeveloping technologies and capabilities to determine the levelof implementation and compliance. Their major task will thenbe to address the strategic planning needed to enable fullcompliance and develop a long-range implementation strategyto enable the. maritime community to adopt the best vesselwaste management practices to make MARPOL V an effectivepollution prevention regime.

Th~ agencies listed above will cooperate in the funding ofthis study and will provide agency liaisons to the Committee.

Status: This is planned as a 2-year study, with the finalreport due in 1995.

Economic aspec ts of marine debris $ 67.

This task continues a competitive research programadministered through the National Sea Grant Office to addressthe economic aspects of marine debris as outlined by theEconomics Working Group at the Second InternationalConference on Marine Debris in 1989; This research addressesthe 'economics of public policies to reduce marine debris,regulatory issues, alternative disposal options, impacts onmarine resources and impacts on resource-dependentindustries.Status: This is the final year for this research by K. E.McConnell, University of Maryland; J. G. Sutinen, Universityof Rhode Isl~nd; and J. Kirkley, Virginia Institute of MarineSciences. Resul ts will be presented in a plenary session atthe Third International Conference on Marine Debris in 1994.

McConnell, K. E., J. Kirkley and J. G. Sutinen. prep. An Economic Primer on Marine Debris. Paperpresented in plenary at the Third InternationalConference on Marine Debris, 1994.

Sutinen, J. G. In prep. A Socioeconomic Theory ofControlling Marine Debris. Paper presented in plenaryat Third International Conference on Marine Debris,1994 .

Zhang, X., and V. K. Smith. In prep. Measuring theTotal Value of Marine Debris Control for CoastalWaters. Paper presented in plenary at the ThirdInternational Conference on Marine Debris, 1994.

International promotion of Annex V ratification andimplementation

, "

The MERP management will undertake, where feasible, promotionof the ratification and implementation of MAR~OL Annex V byall nations, giving particular attention to those whosewastes directly affect U. S. waters and Caribbean countries.Such promotion may' be expected to include the development ofnetworks and cooperation with government organizations,agencies and associations to raise the issue of marine debrisand articulate rationale and methods for its solution, whichwill necessarily include foreign travel. Status: This task will continue indefinitely. MERP stafftraveled to Belize, Mexico and Venezuela to attend andaddress meetings and act as panel chair in support ofCaribbean ini tiati ves for implementation of MARPOL Annex

Clary, J. C. Overview of NOAA' s Marine EntanglementResearch Program. Paper presented at the Second WorldCongress on Tourism for the Environment, 1992. 11 p.

Review of state actions toward compliance with KARPOLrequirements o. 5K

In order to further protect coastal resources from degradationby marine debris , some coastal states have enacted, or areplanning, legislation related to Annex V. Al though Federal lawsupercedes any state laws in this matter, some state-sponsoredlegislation may go beyond Federal statutes, resulting inunenforceable state ' law and/or confusion about Federal laws.MERP personnel will monitor state actions to determinecompatibili ty with the Federal law and the U. S. Coast Guard'ability to enforce. Information will be shared witp concernedparties both inside and outside the marine debris network.

Status: This work is . on-going.


Surveys of entangling debris on Alaska beaches $ 30. OK

This task continues the collection of data to help determinethe effectiveness of MARPOL V. Baseline beaches near Yakutatand on Middleton and Kayak Islands will continue to bemonitored and additional survey areas will be established inthe Bering Sea and Southeast Alaska. If feasible, an aerialsurvey of one baseline beach will be conducted.

Status: This is a continuing proj ect .available from the MERP office.

periodic reports are

Johnson, S. W. 1992. Fixed-wing Aerial PhotographySurveys of Plastic Debris on an Ala$kan Beach. AFSCProcessed Report 92 - 04 . 8 p.

Na tional seashore marine debris survey program $ 37. 1K

Using the survey methods developed in the Alaska surveys, anational sampling system was established in 1989 incooperation with the National Park Service (NPS) Under thisprogram, eight national park beach sites were selected to beperiodically monitored for marine debris. The data collectedwill be used to systematically evaluate the sources , amountsand distributional dynamics of seaborne debris in the variousregions of the United States. These data differ from thosecollected by voluntary beach cleanups because the scientificmethods used will allow estimation of debris loading with time.This year, two additional sites, the Virgin Islands National

Park and Fort Jefferson National Monument, were added. Bothare significant index sites for the Gulf of Mexico and WiderCaribbean Region.

Status: MERP continues to cooperate with EPA and NPS in thiswork. The Gulf of Mexico survey sites began sharing theirdata with the IOC/UNEP CARIPOL program that monitors marinepollution in the Caribbean. This database is housed inNOS/OAD in Washington, D. C. Annual reports are availablefrom the MERP office.

Cole, C. A., W. P. Gregg, D. V. Richards, and D. A.Manski. 1992. Annual Report of National Park MarineDebris Monitoring Program: 1991 Marine Debris Surveyswith Summary of Data from 1988 to 1991. Technical ReportNPS/NRWV /NRTR-92/10. 56 p.


Attempts to establish no-cost observer data collection andarc hi ving of marine debris information have beenunsuccessful. With the anticipated placement by NMFS of upto 600 observers on fishing vessels working in the NorthPacific, this is a missed opportunity that can be resolvedwith a minimal amount of funding. This task will providefunds for collection, evaluation and reporting of marinedebris data by observers at sea.

Status: Work on this task continues.available from the MERP office.


Effect of persistent marine debris on juvenile, pelagicsea turtles $ 40. 5K

This task will provide funds for continued research on theeffects of marine debris on juvenile sea turtles. The studydefines the little-known juvenile sea turtle populations andhabi tats and determines the adverse effects of marine debrison these populations. This year, the principal investigatorswill also initiate work to quantify the sublethal effects ofingestion of debris on rate of nutrient uptake in seaturtles.Status: Work on this task continues. Reports and relatedpublications are available from the MERP office.

Bolten, A. B., and K. A. Bjorndal. 1992. Effect ofMarine Debris on Juvenile, Pelagic Sea Turtles.International Journal of Sustainable Development1:92-98.

Bolten, A. B., E. R. Jacobson, and K. A. Bjorndal.1992. Effects of Anticoagulant and Autoanalyzer onBlood Chemical Values of Loggerhead Sea Turtles Caret tacaretta American Journal of Veterinary Research53 : 2224 - 2227.

Bolten, A. B., H. R. Martins, K. A. Bjorndal, M. Cocco,and G. Gerosa. 1992. Caretta caretta (Loggerhead)Pelagic Movement and Growth. Herpetological Review23:116.

Bolten, A. B., J. C. Santana, and K. A. Bjorndal. 1992.TransAtlantic Crossing by a Loggerhead Turtle. MarineTurtle Newsletter 59: 7-8.

New sampling methodology for capturing pelagic, juvenilemarine turtles in surface convergence zones to assess theimpact of marine debris $ 25.

International efforts to recover and effectively managethreatened and endangered species of sea turtles have beenseverely hampered by the paucity of knowledge on the pelagicstage of development of all species With very few andlimi ted exceptions, there have been no successful efforts tolocate and capture them to facilitate research. This is duein part to scarci ty of vessel sightings, leading some tobelieve that the pelagic habitats of, juvenile turtlesjust have not been located. Others believe that the turtlesconcentrate along driftlines but dive upon sensing thepresence of a vessel, thus making a sighting impossible.This project would develop and deploy new gear types designedto overcome the avoidance capabilities of juvenile marineturtles for surface-towed sampling gear and use directedsamples taken inside and outside visually apparent driftlinesto assess the presence of marine debris and potential harm toanimals foraging in these zones.

Status: This task was cancelled after FY 92 by the Ad HocCommittee on Marine Entanglement due to budget cuts.

Disentanglement of large whales in the southern Gulf ofMaine 5 . 9K

This task would provide funds to a private non-profitorganization for the purchase of a badly needed inflatibleboat. This craft will replace an unserviceable boatand allow the organization to continue whale disentanglementwork in the Gulf of Maine which has been authorized by theNMFS . Status: The Ad Hoc Committee on Marine Entanglement approvedthis funding contingent upon the approval of the Humpback

Whale Recovery Team.funds were released.

The Recovery Team approved and the

4 . MANAGEMENT

Program managemen $ 60.

Funds allocated to this task support the office of the MERPmanager. The manager carries out the annual program plan forMERP as well as representing NMFS/NOAA on marine debrisissues during conferences and meetings with colleagues,constituents and the general public.Status: This is a continuing task. In addition toconducting routine program business, the MERP staff was ableto effect interagency agreements with the U. S. Coast Guard andEPA Gulf of Mexico Program and acted as administrator for fundsreceived from both agencies, as well as from the U. S. Navy andthe EPA Office of Water. During the summer 1992, MERP staff established and convenedan international Steering Committee for the ThirdInternational Conference on Marine Debris and awarded acontract for the Conference Coordinator.



TASK NO.

2 .

TASK TITLE



Marine Debris Outreach Campaign in the Gulfof Mexico and Wider Caribbean (continued)

Conference Coordinator for the ThirdInternational Conference on Marine Debris

MITIGATION



National Research Council Marine Board Study(continued)

International Promotion of Annex V Ratificationand Implementation (continued)

Development of Best Management Practices forMarina Pollution Prevention Plans

Revision of the Port Reception Facility Sectionof the IMO Guidelines for the Implementation ofMARPOL Annex V (continued)


Surveys of Entangling Debris on Alaska Beaches(continued)

National Seashore Marine Debris Survey Programcontinued)

Fisheries ,Observer Marine Debris proj ect(continued)

$638.

FUNDINGLEVEL

$ 60.

$ SO.

$ 28.

$ S5.

$ 20.

$ 32.

5.

$ 30. OK

$ 25.

$ 35.

$ 37.

$ 16. OK

Effect of Persistent Marine Debris on Juvenile,Pelagic Sea Turtles in the Northeast Atlantic(continued) $ 40.

Statistical Assessment of Marine Debris MonitoringSystems $ 30.

f . Incidence of Plastics in Seabirds from the TropicalPacific, 1984-91: Relation with Distribution of Species,Sex, Age, Season, Year $ 12.

MANAGEMENT

Program Management (continued) $ 96.



Marine debris info~ tion office (year 2 of 5 -yearoption) $ 60. The MDIOs continued to be extremely successful in promotingpublic awareness, prompting the MERP manager to exercise thefirst option year on the new contract. Informationalmaterials are regularly updated and new ones added toexisting inventories. Specialized information packets weredeveloped to target cruise passengers and the cruiseindustry

Status: Work under this task continues.available from the MERP office.

Annual reports are

Marine debris outreach campaign in the Gulf of Mexico andWider Caribbean 0 . OK

This task would provide funds to continue the work begunduring FY 92.

Status: Due to the late start-up of this project in FY 92 anduncertainties in the organizational structure of IOCARIBE, thistask was ultimately not funded in FY 93, and the funds werediverted to other MERP projects.

Conference coordinator for the Third InternationalConference on Marine Debris $ 28. 5K

In order to begin planning for the Third InternationalConference on Marine Debris, the MERP manager proposed tocontract a conference coordinator to handle all planning,organizing and managing the conduct of the Conference. TheMERP manager proposed to convene the Conference in Miami,Florida, to attract a large Caribbean delegation and a largerEuropean participation than the first two conferences, whichwere convened in Honol ul u . Because of the proposed venue andthe international nature of the Conference, it was essentialthat the successful bidder have bilingual (English and Spanish)capabilities and be experienced in dealing with theinternational scientific community. The contract was awardedto Bregman and Company, Incorporated, of Bethesda, Maryland.

Status: Work under this task began in early FY 93 and willcontinue until the business of conducting the Conference hasbeen completed, probably in late FY 94 or early FY 95.

2 . MITIGATION

National coastal cleanup campaign $ 55.

This task provides partial funding to continue theestablished annual National Coastal Cleanup Campaign heldduring COASTWEEKS. The M~RP and EPA cooperate in providingfunds for this activity to promote national public awarenessof the marine debris problem and to assist in the cleanup andprevention of coastal and shoreline debris.Status: This proj ect continues. Annual reports areavailable from the Center for Marine Conservation, 1725DeSales Street, NW, Suite 500, Washington, D. C. 20036,(202) 429- 56 09.

Debris removal from Hawaiian monk seal beaches $ 20. OK

This task provides funding assistance to the research teamsworking to understand and protect the highly endangeredHawaiian monk seal. In the Northwest Hawaiian Islands, theseteams make annual visits to monk seal hauling and puppingbeaches to gather, catalog and destroy all of ' the entanglingmaterial that has come ashore. Status: Work under this task continues.available from the MERP office.


National research council marine board study of u.implementation of KARPOL Annex V $ 42. 5KThis task provided funds for the second year of the planned2 -year Marine Board study of U. S. implementation of MARPOLAnnex V. Al though the planned MERP contribution to thisproject was $32. SK, in late FY 93, it became obvious that ahigher level of funding was needed to complete the work and theMERP contributed an additional $10. OK. Status: The Marine Board report is due out in 1995.

International promotion of Annex V ratification andimp 1 emen ta tion

The MERP management will undertake, where feasible, promotionof the ratification and implementation of MARPOL Annex V byall nations, giving particular attention to those whosewastes directly affect U. S . waters and to the Caribbeancountries. ' Such promotion may be expected to include thedevelopment of networks and cooperation with governmentorganizations, agencies and associations to raise internationalawareness of the marine debris problem and articulate rationaleand methods for its solution, which may necessitate foreign travel.

Status: This task will continue indefinitely.e. Development of best management practices for marinapollution prevention plans ' $ 30. OK

This task will provide funds to the Sea Grant network todevelop guidelines to assist the marina industry indeveloping nationally applicable Marina Pollution PreventionPlans (MPPP) The Coastal Zone Act ReauthorizationAmendments. of 1990 established a new national program toprovide solutions to problems caused by nonpoint pollution ofthe Nation s waters. The EPA has identified marinas as onesource of nonpoint pollution. The industry expressed adesire to be proactive in designing MPPPs and requestedassistance from Sea Grant' s Marine Advisory Service. The SeaGrant network will assist the International Marina Institute,NOAA, EPA and state marina trade associations to developnationally applicable, best economically achievable measuresfor solid waste handling, recycling and boater and publiceducation for the marina industry.

Status: In cooperation with the International MarinaInstitute, Sea Grant organized and convened, in March 1993, ameeting of representatives from the boating and marinaindustries, academia, government and environmentalorganizations to develop strategies to facilitate compliancewith guidelines and regulations designed to protect andimprove the quality of the marine environment. The frameworkfor the 3 -year Clean Marina Program resulted from thismeeting. The drafting of marina pollution prevention planswas among the objectives of the program and are currentlybeing developed.

Revision of the port reception facility sec tion of theIMO guidelines for the implementation of KARPOL Annex V

$ 25.

In FY 91, the MERP contracted with A. T. Kearney, Inc., todevelop revised guidelines for port' reception facilities ofMARPOL Annex V wastes (garbage) The original schedule forcompletion was May 1992. However, the Marine EnvironmentProtection Committee (MEPC) of the IMO, which administers thedevelopment of guidelines, was unable to address the subj ectfully at its 30th and 31st meetings. In anticipation ofcontractor participation in at least two additional meetings ofthe MEPC in order to finalize this work, the period ofperformance was extended to October 1, 1993 and the fun~ingincreased by the present level.Status: Document has been completed and is still beingconsidered for approval by the MEPC.



This task continues the collection of data to help determinethe effectiveness of MARPOL V. Use of forward-motioncompensating cameras in preliminary aerial work conducted in1992 appeared to offer some promise in identification ofmarine debris Aerial surveys will be attempted again during1993 .

Status: This task continues.from the MERP office.

Periodic reports are available

Johnson, S. w. 1993 . Entanglement and OtherPlastic Debris on Alaskan Beaches, 1990-92. AFSCProcessed Report 93-02. 12 p.

Na tional seashore marine debris survey program $ 66.

Fiscal year 1993 was the final year of the interagencyagreement between NMFS and NPS that facilitated the workunder this task. Funding was increased to allow for datacollection through the end of the first quarter of FY 94. Thedata collected during this 5 -year effort will be used to assistin designing the national marine debris monitoring program. portion of the funds were , also used to increase the frequencyof sampling at Padre Island National Seashore to help identifypoint sources of pollution. Data gathered indicated thatspecific debris items could be related to specific pointsources. Results of this investigation culminated in a multi-Federal agency law enforcement operation to document MARPOLAnnex V violations.

Status: Work under this task is complete. Reports areavailable from the MERP office. The annual report for 1992will be ready for distribution in spring 1995; the finalreport on this work is undergoing review in NPS and should beready for distribution by late 1995.

Miller, J. E. 1994. Marine Debris Point SourceInvestigation; Padre Island National Seashore, Texas.In prep. Presented in plenary at the ThirdInternational Conference on Marine Debris, 1994.


This task will continue to provide funds to assist in marinedebris data collection, evaluation and reporting by observerson fishing vessels at sea.Status: Work under this task continues.available from the MERP office. Periodic reports are

Effect of persistent marine debris on juvenile, pelagicsea turtles in the northeast Atlantic $ 40. 5KThis task will provide funds for continued research on theeffects of marine debris on j uvenile sea turtles. addition to studies of habitat and population, adverseeffects of marine debris and sublethal effects of ingestionof marine debris, the research will also at tempt to quantifythe ~tress hormone syndrome in sea turtles as it relates toadverse effects of marine debris.Status: Work on this task continues. Reports and relatedpublications are available from the MERP office.

Bolten, A. B., K. A. Bjorndal, and H. R. Martins. 1993.Life History Model for the Loggerhead Sea TurtleCaretta caretta) Population in the Atlantic: Potential

Impacts of a Longline Fishery. G. H. Balazs and S. G.Pooley (eds. ), Research Plan to Assess Marine TurtleHooking Mortality: Results of an Expert Workshop Heldin Honolulu, Hawaii, November 16-18, 1993, P 48-54.NMFS/SWFC Administrative Report H-93-18.

Bolten, A. B., H. R. Martins, K. A. Bjorndal, and J.Gordon. 1993 . Size Distribution of Pelagic-Stage SeaTurtles Caretta caretta) in Waters Around the Azoresand Madeira. Arquipelago 11A:49-54.

Gregory, L. 1993. Capture Stress in the LoggerheadSea Turtle Caretta caretta . M. S. thesis, University ofFlorida, Gainesville.

Statistical assessment of marine debris monitoringsystems $ 30. OK

NMFS, EPA, NPS, private organizations, state and foreigngovernments and international organizations have beeninvolved in marine debris monitoring activities for up to10 years. Marine debris databases are potentially availablefrom all over the world Questions regarding efficiency ofmethods, statistical' validity and interpretation and utilityof these data have been, and continue to be, raised.

This task will provide funds for a statistician, or team ofstatisticians, to assemble and analyze all available marinedebris survey data and recommend future survey obj ecti ves,strategies and, where appropriate, methods.Status: Work under this task continued through FY 94.

Incidence of plastics in seabirds from the tropicalPacific, 1984- 91: relation with distribution of species,sex, age, season, year $ 12.

This task provided funds to the Point Reyes Bird Observatoryfor the analysis and comparison of marine debris ingestiondata collected ancillary to other studies funded by otherorganizations. The work allowed incorporation of data intoexisting databases, statistical comparisons involving marinedebris occurence/ ingestion and the preparation of thefindings for formal publication. This also provided valuablemarine debris information for the offshore, equatorial regionof the eastern tropical Pacif ic .

Status: Work under this task was completed and a paperpresented in plenary at the Third International Conference onMarine Debris.

Robards, M. D., D. W. Laist, and P. L. Lutz.In prep. The Hazard of Ocean Debris Ingestion - Realor Only Apparent? Paper presented in plenary at theThird International Conference on Marine Debris, 1994.

MANAGEMENT

Program management (continued) $ 96.

Funds allocated to this task support the office of the MERPmanager. The manager carries out the annual program plan forMERP as well as representing NMFS/NOAA on marine debrisissues during conferences and meetings with colleagues,constituents and the general public.

Status: Work under this task continues. Staff continued toadminister funds for other agencies under various interagencyagreements. Planning for the Third International Conferenceon Marine Debris progressed with the naming of Working GroupChairs, paper and poster solicitations, sponsor solicitationsand announcement design, printing and distribution. The MERPstaff was able to secure a very important seat on the EPAGulf of Mexico Program s Committee on Marine Debris, thusenabling MERP to become more active in the Gulf region.



TASK NO.

2 .

3 .

TASK TITLE



Marine Debris Outreach Campaign in the Gulf ofMexico and Wider Caribbean (continued)

Conference Coordinator for the ThirdInternational Conference on Marine Debris(continued) Pacific Islands Marine Debris Campaign

3rd Caribbean Marine Debris Workshop

Third International Conference on Marine DebrisPublications

MITIGATION


b. Debris Removal from Hawaiian Monk Seal Beachescontinued)


Net Collection and Recycling: North Carolina,South Carolina and Georgia

Gulf of Maine Program Port proj ect (Year

Zero Solid Waste Discharge Guidelines for theNOAA Fleet (FY 93 Funds)


Surveys of, Entangling Debris on Alaska Beachescontinued)

Fisheries Observer Marine Debris proj ectcontinued)

$60S.

FUNDINGLEVEL

$ 61.

$ 50.

, $ 30.

$ 11' . OK '

$ 20.

$ 35.

$ 55.

$ 2S.

$ 15.

$ 37.

$ 16.

$ 15.

$ 35.

$ 16.

Effect of Persistent Marine Debris on Juvenile,Pelagic Sea Turtles in the Northeast Atlantic(continued) $ 21.

National Marine Debris Monitoring Program(continued) $ 40. OK

Impacts of Marine Debris on Sea Turtle Populations$ 40.

Coastal and Upland-Based Sources of Marine Debris(FY 93 Funds) $ 10. MANAGEMENT4 .

'a. Program Management continued) $ 96.


1. ' EDUCATION AND PUBLIC AWARENESS

Marine debris info~ation offices (year 3 of 5-yearoption) $ 61.

The continued success of the MDIOs prompted the MERP managerto exercise the second option year of the 5 -year contractwith the Center for Marine Conservation. Information packetscontinue to be updated periodically and new materials addedto existing inventories.Status: Work under this task continues. Quarterly andannual reports are available from the MERP office.

Marine debris education program for the Wider Caribbean(continued) $ 50.

This task provided funds to continue work begun in FY 92. Dueto unexpected delays and instability in the IOCARIBEorganizational structure, FY 93 funds were not used to supportcontinuation of this task. The education plan has beenreviewed and approved and funds transferred to the IOCARIBESecretariat to implement- the program. The EPA Gulf of MexicoProgram cooperated with the MERP in funding this task.Status: Implementation is proceeding; work under, andfunding for, this task are expected to continue at leastthrough FY 95.

Conference coordinator for the Third InternationalConference on Marine Debris (continued) $ 30. OK

The Third International Conference on Marine Debris wasconvened in Miami, FL, May 8-13, 1994, and attended by 175people representing 26 countries. The conference coordinatormade all logistical arrangements, banking arrangements forhandling of private funds and contributions, foreign travelarrangements and other details of conference management.

Status: Work under this contract has been completed and thecontract closed.

Pacific Islands marine debris campaign $ 11.

This task, funded by the MERP in FY 91 and 92, was originallyplanned for Hawaii. During 1992, the effort was expanded toinclude the Pacific Islands, through a cooperative effort withUniversity of Hawaii Sea Grant and the Pacific Islands Network

(PIN), a consortium of U. S. Federal agencies working togetherwith U. S' -affiliated Pacific Island governments and non-government organizations.o The PIN is charged with providingtechnical information and assistance related to coastal andmarine issues.

Status: A final report on this proj ect will be available inearly 1995.

3rd Caribbean marine debris workshop $ 20.

The Marine Debris Action Plan for the Caribbean developed atthe 2nd Caribbean Marine Debris Workshop in Merida, Mexico, inAugust 1992 called for the convening of the 3rd CaribbeanMarine Debris Workshop to emphasize pollution by land-basedsources. The intent of the workshop was to assemble anaudience to include port management, solid waste management,health officials, coastal resource managers and educatorsfrom the 29 Wider Caribbean countries to preserve andstrengthen the Caribbean marine debris network. The MERP andEPAs Gulf of Mexico program cooperated in funding t,his task.

Status: Workshop convened in Nassau, Bahamas, in January1994. The final report is due out in late 1994. Tentativeplans were made for the 4th Caribbean Marine Debris Workshopfor spring 1995.

Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission. 1994.Marine Debris Action Plan for the Caribbean. UNESCO #41.30 p.

f. TICMD publications $ 35.

During the early planning stages for the Third InternationalConference on Marine Debris (TICMD), the Steering Committeeagreed that the Conference publications would be published in three volumes:

1) Glossy Conference Summary - This will be a high-quality,photo-art enhanced document summarizing Conferencefindings and recommendations, including edited versions ofthe six working group reports.

2) Conference Proceedings: Plenary Papers - This volume willconstitute the formal proceedings of the Conference andwill be published in book format after rigorous review andrevision by independent experts.

3) Conference Proceedings: Poster Papers and Abstracts Abstracts and full manuscripts for poster presentationswill be compiled and published in the NOAA TechnicalMemorandum series after peer review and revision.

Status: North Carolina Sea Grant is nearing completion ofthe summary document, which should be available early in1995. ' Both volumes of the proceedings are currentlyundergoing editorial review.

MITIGATION

Na tional coastal cleanup campaign $ 55.

The MERP and EPA continue to cooperate in providing fundingfor continuing this annual event. The National CoastalCleanup Campaign is held each year during COASTWEEKS and ishighly successful both in promoting national public awarenessof the marine debris problem and in assisting in the cleanupand prevention of coastal and shoreline debris.Status: Work under this task continues. Annual reports areavailable from the Center for Marine Conservation, 1725 DeSalesStreet, NW, Suite 500, Washington, D. C. 20036, (202) 429-5609.

Debris removal from Hawaiian monk seal beaches $ 25.

This is a continuing task that provides funding assistance tothe research teams working to understand and protect thehighly endangered Hawaiian monk seal. In the NorthwestHawaiian Islands, these teams make annual visits to monk sealhauling and pupping beaches to gather, catalog and destroyall of the entangling material that has come ashore.Status: This proj ect continues.available from the MERP office.


c. International promotion of Annex V ratification andimplementation $lS.This task provides funds to give the MERP management latitudeto work effectively in the international arena when marinedebris issues are involved. This involvement is particularlyimportant in the Wider Caribbean Region because of thespecial area designation of the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico.However, acti vi ties under this task are not limited to theCaribbean Region since MERP management has also beencooperating with IOC, IMO, UNEP and other internationalagencies on marine debris issues.Status: Work under this task is expected to continueindefinitely.

Net collection/recycling: a feasibility study for NorthCarolina, South Carolina and Georgia $ 37.

This task utilizes the Sea Grant network to establish statecoordinators to devise appropriate strategies for workingwith commercial fishermen within their respective states forcollecting and sorting commercial fishing nets for recycling,and working wi th existing local solid waste management andrecyclers to define the recycling potential of the material.This proj ect intends to capitalize as much as possible on theresults of a similar project conducted in 1991-92 by thePacific States Marine Fisheries Commission in which therecycling of gillnet was investigated.Status: A final report is due in mid-1995.

Marine debris reduction in the Gulf of Maine $ 16.

This is the first year of a 3-year project initiated bythe Gulf of Maine Council, a body comprised of public andprivate officials from New England states and the MaritimeProvinces bordering the Gulf of Maine. In 1992, the Councilinitiated a marine debris reduction effort in Portland, ME,to serve as an example to other ports in the region. Thiseffort evolved into what is now the Portland Harbor MarineDebris Council. This group is working with fishermen andother marine users to build public awareness about thehazards of marine debris and to provide adequate facilitiesfor proper disposal of m~rine debris on the waterfront. TheGulf of Maine Council wants to implement similar programs inadditional fishing ports in the region. This task providespartial funding to assist them in this effort.Status: The MERP arranged for a grant to the Gulf of MaineCouncil through the NOAA Coastal Programs Division under theCoastal Zone Management Act. Due to delays in the grantingprocess, funds were not received by the Council until late inFY 94.

Zero solid waste discharge guidelines for the NOAA fleet

$ 15.

The u. s. ratified MARPOL Annex V in December 1987, and theimplementing legislation, the Marine Plastic PollutionResearch and Control Act, went into effect in December 1988.While public vessels are exempted from compliance by Annex and granted a 5-year grace period by the MPPRCA, NOAAimplemented solid waste discharge directives within its fleetshortly after Annex V was ratified. These directivesmirrored the regulations set forth in Annex V. In additionto establishing discharge regulations, Annex V also makesprovision for' special areas, in which, because of unique

oceanographic, environmental or traffic characteristics, alloverboard discharge of wastes except comminuted food wastes,is prohibited. Two of these areas, the Antarctic Region andthe Wider Caribbean Region, impact the ' NOAA fleet.As America s steward of the oceans, NOAA should be settingthe example for the world' s maritime community and treat alloceans as special areas. With this goal in mind, the MERPprovided partial funding for this task to NOAA' s Ship SystemsBranch to develop these guidelines.

Status: All background work has been completed.report and guidelines are in preparation.

The final

Art Anderson Associates. 1994. Zero Solid WasteDischarge Guidelines for the NOAA Fleet. Reportprepared under contract 50-DGND-2-00162 to Office ofNOAA Corps Operations .Ship Systems Branch incooperation :with the NMFS Marine Entanglement ResearchProgram. 139 p.



This task continues the collection of data to help determinethe effectiveness of MARPOL Annex V. Surveys indicate thattrawl web deposition on Alaskan beaches is decreasing, butcontinuing surveys are needed to determine the trueeffectiveness of Annex

Status: Work under this task is continuing.are available from the MERP office.

periodic reports


This task will provide continued funding for collection,evaluation and reporting of marine debris data by observersat sea.



Weikart, H. 1994. Summary of Marine Debris Observedfrom U. S. Fishing Vessels in the Northeast Pacific Oceanand Bering Sea, 1992-1993. Poster presented at ThirdInternational Conference on Marine Debris, May 1994.

Effect of persistent marine debris , on juvenile, pelagicsea turtles in the northeast Atlantic $ 21.This task will provide funds for continued research on theeffects of persistent marine debris on juvenile sea turtles.Status: Work on this task continues. Reports and relatedpublications are available from the MERP office.

Bjorndal. K. A., A. B. Bolten, J. Gordon, and J. Carminas. 1994. Caretta caretta (Loggerhead) Growthand Pelagic Movement. Herpetological Review 25: 23 - 24.

Bjorndal, K. A., A. B. Bolten, and C. J. Lageaux. 1994Ingestion of Marine Debris by Juvenile Sea Turtles inCoastal Florida Habitats. Bulletin of Marine Pollution28: lS4~158.

Bolten, A. B., K. A. Bjorndal, and H. R. Martins. 1994.Biology of Pelagic-Stage Loggerheads in the Atlantic.

K. A. Bjorndal, A. B. Bolten, D. A. Johnson, and P. J.Eliazar (eds. ), Proceedings of the 14th AnnualSymposium on Sea Turtle Biology and Conservation. NOAATechnical Memorandum NMFS- SEFSC- 351.

Bolten, A. B., K. A. Bjorndal, and H. R. Martins. press. Life History Model for the Loggerhead SeaTurtle Caretta caretta) in the Atlantic. Proceedingsof the First Symposium on the Fauna and Flora of theAtlantic Islands. Museu do Funchal, Madeira, Portugal.

National marine debris monitoring prog~am $ 40. OK

Work under this task continued through FY 94. Preliminaryresults of data analyses were made available in a posterpresentation at the Third International Conference onMarine Debris. A mid-year job change by the leadstatistician in this effort slowed work somewhat. The MERPcontinues to cooperate with EPA, the NPS and other governmentagencies in this effort.Status: Work under this task continues. The final report isin review and the program design is being drafted. Cooperatorsmet in early 1995 to review results and consider practicalstrategies for funding, staffing and implementing the nationalmoni toring program.

Ribic, C. A. 1994. Power Analysis for BeachSurveys of Marine Debris. In prep. 16 p.

Ribic, C. A., C. A' Cole and S. W. Johnson. 1994.Distribution, Abundance and Source of Plastic Debris onCoastal Beaches of the U. S . In Prep. Presented inplenary at the Third International Conference on MarineDebris, 1994.

Impacts of marine debris on sea turtle populations$ 40. OK

Work performed under this task will quantify from strandingdata the adverse impacts of entanglement and anthropogenicdebris on sea turtles by species, size class, geographic areaand season and determine the effects of incidental hook andline capture and entanglement of Kemp s ridleys ,along theupper Texas coast.

Status: The final report will be published as a NOAATechnical Memorandum upon approval by the MERP manager.

Coastal and upland-based sources of marine debris$ 10. 8K

Under this task, work was done by Louisiana State UniversitySea Grant to identify land-based sources of marine debrisoriginating in coastal and upland areas. This topic hastaken on a strategic significance with the designation of theWider Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico as a Special Area underMARPOL Annex V. This designation places a huge burden on the23 less-developed nations of the region and many of the moreremote communi ties along the U. S. Gulf of Mexico. Not onlymust they provide adequate ,shores ide reception facilities forvessel wastes that may or may not be discharged, but they arealso faced with having to address the larger issue of nationaland regional solid waste management.

Primarily, this work reviewed and analyzed availableinformation to help characterize the role of coastal andupland sources in the range of marine debris relatedprobl ems.

Status: Work under this task was completed and a paperpresented in plenary at the Third International Conference onMarine Debris.

Liffmann, M. 1994. Linkages Between Land-BasedSources of Pollution and Marine Debris., In prep.Paper presented in plenary at Third InternationalConference on Marine Debris, 1994.

MANAGEMENT

Program management $ 96.

Funds allocated to this task support the office of the MERPmanager. The manager carries out the annual program plan forMERP as well as representing NOAAjNMFS on marine debrisissues during conferences and meetings with colleagues,consti tuents and the general public.Status: This is a continuing task. In addition, to normalprogram activities, MERP staff planned and convened the ThirdInternational Conference on Marine Debris, chaired by theMERP manager . The MERP raised almost $20 OK from, sponsors tohelp support the Conference which was attended by 175 peoplerepresenting 26 countries.

The MERP manager presented the Marine Debris Action Plan ofthe Wider Caribbean for adoption by the IOC/UNEPCEPPOLprogram for assessment and abatement of marine pollution inthe Caribbean. This strategy was adopted for the 1994-951996-97 biennia, providing a long-term base for addressingthe marine debris problem in the Wider Caribbean Region,which includes the Gulf of Mexico. The MERP manager was alsosuccessful in gaining endorsement of the U. s. position in theSummit of the Americas for the marine debris strategy of theCaribbean. This endorsement will help propel the strategyinto action in many nations of the area. In addition, theMERP manager successfully cooperated with elements of the IOCto arrange a GIPME-sponsored (Global Investigations ofPollution in the Marine Environment) inter-comparison of marinedebris survey methods in the wider Caribbean, a major programobj ecti ve in the development of regional marine debrismoni toring networks.

In addition to editing and coordinating publication of thedocuments from the Third International Conference on MarineDebris, the MERP manager co-authored a chapter in a textbook

, on marine mammal issues in cooperation with the U. S. MarineMammal Commission (publication in 1995) and co-authored thefollowing manuscript which is in press as a NOAA TechnicalReport:

Wallace, B. and J. M~ Coe. 1994. Guidelines for theProvision of Port Reception Facilities Under MARPOLAnnex V. NOAA Technical Report (in press)



TASK NO.

3 .

TASK TITLE


, '


Marine Debris Outreach Campaign in the Gulfof Mexico and Wider Caribbean

Marine Debris Newsletter (Year 1 of

th Caribbean Marine Debris Workshop

$624.

FUND INGLEVEL

$ 90.

$ 40. OK

$ 69.

$ 20.

"Inky " Documentary Video - Cooperative proj ectwith National Aquarium in Baltimore (FY 94 Funds) $ 15.

MITIGATION




Gulf of Maine Program Port Project (continued)

Gulf of Maine Net Recycling (Year 1, FY 94 Funds)

$ 5 5.

25.. OK

$ 15.

$ 25.

6 . OK

Rural Solid Waste Management Practices (FY 94 Funds)$ 10.


Surveys of Entangling Debris on Alaska Beaches(continued) Fisheries Observer Marine Debris proj ectcontinued)

Effects of Persistent Marine Debris on Juvenile,Pelagic Sea Turtles in the Northeast Atlanticcontinued)

$ 41.

$ 16.

$ 20.

4 .

National Marine Debris Monitoring Programcontinued)

Marine Debris Monitoring Offshore (FY 94 Funds)

MANAGEMENT

a;. Program Management

Program Statistician/Data Manager

$ 40.

8 . OK

$107.

$ 75.



Marine debris info~ tion offices (year 4 of 5 -yearoption) $ 90.

The continued success of the MDIOs prompted the MERP managerto exercise the third option year of the 5 -year contractwith the Center for Marine Conservation. Information packetscontinue to be updated periodically and new materials addedto existing inventories. Status: Work under this task continues. Quarterly andannual reports are available from the MERP office.

Marine debris education program for the Wider Caribbean(continued) $ 40. OK

These fUnds will provide continued support for theimplementation and expansion of the Wider Caribbean marinedebris education program developed by IOCARIBE. The EPA Gulfof Mexico will cooperate with the MERP in the funding of thistask. Status: Work under this task continues.

Marine debris newslet ter (year 1 of $ 69.

The global marine debris community is fragmented.Researchers, cleanup organizations/efforts, managers andaffected industries have no common link or mechanism forexchanging information worldwide about research results,innovations, educational efforts or legislation. Other thanpersonal contacts, the only common thread for the marinedebris community is the International Conference on MarineDebris, held in 5 -year intervals. Five years is too longto wait to get the word out on a new survey method, aninnovative educational effort, an industry innovation orregional initiatives. To keep the international marinedebris community informed, to build cohesiveness andencourage cooperative efforts, the community needs toexchange information on a regular basis.Funding under this task will utilize the Sea Grant network todevelop, publish and disseminate a quarterly marine debrisnewsletter. The mailing list will be built from the lists ofattendees of the Second and Third International Conference onMarine Debris and expanded. The newsletter will also beavailable in electronic format via Internet'

Status: Funds have been transferred to the National SeaGrant Office. The first issue is expected in spring 1995.

Fourth Caribbean marine debris workshop $ 20.

Three previous workshops have produced a Wider CaribbeanMarine Debris Working Group, a Marine Debris Waste ManagementAction Plan for the Caribbean and a number of on-goingproj ects aimed at implementing the provisions of MARPOL AnnexV as well as broader waste management issues. Additionally,a coalition of industry, educators, environmental groups,heal th organizations and interested persons has begun tocoalesce into a network.

At the third workshop, Working Group members recommended thata fourth workshop be convened to preserve and strengthen theCaribbean marine debris network and to further expand theworkshop audience. Focus will be on educating the educatorto ~nhance realizing the objective of behavioralmodification.

Status: The MERP has utilized the Sea Grant network forfunding, organizing and convening the previous threeworkshops and will do so for the fourth workshop. EPA' s Gulfof Mexico Program is a cooperator with the MERP on this task.Funds have been transferred to Sea Grant. The workshop willconvene in August 1995 in the Dominican Republic.

IIInky" documentary video - cooperative project with theNational Aquarium in Baltimore (FY 94 Funds) $ 15.

On Thanksgiving Day, 1993, the U. S. Coast Guard rescued astranded pygmy sperm whale and delivered it to the NationalAquarium in Baltimore. The whale was severely emaciated andweak and was found to have gastrointestinal problems causedby ingesting plastic trash. Aquarium veterinarians and animalcare specialists were able to remove the material from thewhale s stomach and nurse the animal back to heal th foreventual release at sea.

NAIB approached the MERP about cooperating with the U. S. CoastGuard and EPA in funding a video documenting the rescue,rehabilitation and release of the animal, to be used in thepublic awareness campaign against marine debris. The MERPmanager determined that such a video could be a powerful toolin the public education campaign and agreed to provide funds.

Status: Funds have been released and a rough edit of thevideo received. Final cut version of the video was releasedin late calendar year 1994 and is available from NOAA' s MarineDebris Information Office (see p. 1 for address)

MITIGATION

National coastal cleanup campaign (continued) $ 55.

The MERP and EPA continue to cooperate in providing fundingfor the continuation of this annual event. The NationalCoastal Cleanup Campaign is held each year during COASTWEEKSand is highly successful both in promoting ,national publicawareness of the marine debris problem and in assisting inthe cleanup and prevention of coastal and shoreline ~ebris.Status: Work under this task continues. Annual reports areavailable from the Center for Marine Conservation, 1725 DeSalesStreet, NW, Suite 500, Washington, D.C. 20036, (202) 429-5609.

Debris removal from Hawaiian monk seal beachescontinued) $ 25.

This is a continuing task that provides funding assistance tothe research teams working to understand and protect thehighly endangered Hawaiian monk seal. In the NorthwestHawaiian Islands, these teams make annual visits to monk, sealhauling and pupping beaches to gather, catalog and destroyall of the entangling material that has come ashore.

Status: Work under this task continues.available from the MERP office.


International promotion of Annex V ratification andimplementation (continued) $ 15.

This task gives the MERP management latitude to workeffectively in the international arena when marinedebris issues are involved. This involvement is particularlyimportant in the Wider Caribbean Region because of thespecial area designation of the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico.However, activities under this task are not limited to theCaribbean Region since the MERP management has been activelyinvolved with IMO, IOC, UNEP and other internationalorganizations on marine debris issues.Status: Work under this task is expected to continueindefinitely.

Marine debris reduction in the Gulf of Maine (continued)$ 25.

This is year two of a 3 -year proj ect initiated by theGulf of Maine Council, a body comprised of public and privateofficials from New England states and the Maritime Provincesbordering the Gulf of Maine. The proj ect will implement

public awareness programs and provide adequate wastereception facilities at fishing ports in the region.

Status: The MERP arranged for a grant to the Gulf of MaineCouncil through NOAA' s Coastal Programs Division under theCoastal Zone Management Act. Delays in the granting processcaused a late receipt of funds in FY 94. The MERP releasedfunds early in FY 95 to try to avoid a repeat of thissituation. Progress reports are available from the MERPoffice.

Net recycling feasibility study for the southern Gulf ofMaine region (FY 94 funds) 6.

Recently implemented mesh size regulations for trawls andgillnets in the New England Fisheries Management Council'Groundf ish Plan rendered otherwise usable gear obsolete. Disposal options in the region are extremely limited and onthe verge of becoming non-existent due to landfill closuresand the simple fact that many of the available operationswill not accept fishing nets. Thus, fishermen have fewviable options for disposal, leading to illegal disposalashore, or, worse, at sea. This task provides funds to the Center for Coastal Studies toconduct a feasibility study for recycling fishing nets in theregion. A decision to fund, or not to fund, a subsequent pilotproject will be made pending the outcome of the feasibilitystudy.

Status: Initial funding was provided late in FY 94.reports are available from the MERP office.

Progress

Review of practical solid waste management practices indeveloping countries (FY 94 funds) $ 10. OK

At the Third International Conference on Marine Debris, inMay 1994, a great deal of attention focused on rural coastaland upland sources of marine ,debris pollution. Extensivediscussions were held concerning development of frameworkplans and strategies to address and eventually control andreduce these sources. Conference attendees agreed that manyof the approaches that apply to the problem of solid waste inthe marine environment are inadequate to redress thisproblem, particularly in developing countries. Moreinformation is needed on practical approaches, preferablythose that are community-based and readily implementable.Given the current interest of insular governments andinternational organizations in infrastructure development andsocio-economic implications of solid waste management andmarine debris pollution in the Caribbean Region, an opportunityexists to investigate such approaches.

This task provides funding to the Louisiana Sea Grant CollegeProgram at Louisiana State University (LSU) to gather,assemble, review, evaluate and report information onpractical approaches, technologies and practices for dealingwith solid waste management in rural and suburban communitiesin the developing world, with an emphasis on the WiderCaribbean Region.

Status: The MERP provided funds to LSU in late FY 94.report is due July 1995.

Final


Surveys of entangling debris on Alaska beaches(continued) $ 41. OK

Beginning its eleventh year, this task continues thecollection of data to help determine the effectiveness ofMARPOL Annex V. Surveys indicate that trawl web depositionon Alaska beaches is decreasing, but continuing and on-goingsurveys are necessary to determine the true effectiveness ,Annex V.



' North Pacific fisheries observer debris data collectioncontinued) $ 16. OK

This task will provide continued funding for collection,evaluation and reporting of marine debris data by observersat sea.


Annual reports are

Effect of p~rsistent marine debris on juvenile, pelagicsea turtles in the northeast Atlantic (continued) $ 20. 9K

This task will provide funds for continued research on theeffects of persistent marine debris on juvenil~ sea turtles.Status: Work on this task continues. Reports and relatedpublications are available from the MERP office.

National marine debris monitoring program (continued)$ 40.

This task provides funds tQ complete analyses of availablemarine debris data so that a statistically valid nationalmonitoring program can be designed. The MERP continues to

cooperate with EPA, the National Park Service, the NationalBiological Survey and others in this effort.Status: Work under this task continues.expected in early 1995.

The final report is

Marine debris moDi toring and reporting for offshorewaters in the Gulf of Mexico (FY 94 funds)

The NMFS Laboratory in Pascagoula, Mississippi, conductsquarterly aerial surveys to determine abundance anddistribution of cetaceans in the Gulf of Mexico. Along withcetacean sightings, other data, including floating ,debrissightings, are recorded.

This task will fund analyses of these marine debris sightingsto determine distribution and abundance of large floatingdebris in the Gulf of Mexico and will help assess the progressof MARPOL Annex V, the feasibility of conducting aerial marinedebris surveys, and, perhaps, assist in determining sourcesof debris.

Status: The MERP transferred funds in late FY 94.report is due in summer 1995.

The final

4 . MANAGEMENT

Program management $107 .

Funds allocated to this task support the office of the MERPmanager.

Status: This is a continuing task.Program statistician/data manager $ 75. OK

Funds allocated to this task would provide a salary andbenefits package for the hiring of a professionalstatistician/data manager for the MERP staff. This positionwould track and make best use of the volume of available dataand information, archive, analyze and utilize unanalyzed dataand provide statistical leadership in the design, execution andanalysis of national and international marine debris monitoringprograms.

Status: Due to Federal hiring restrictions, the MERP manageranticipates that this position will not be filled during 1995,thus creating a salary lapse. Possible options for utilizingthese funds include:

1) Sponsorship of MARPOL V legal workshop;2) Increase newsletter ' to 4 issues per year;3) Chiniak Bay, Alaska, ghost fishing study;4) Sublethal effects of marine debris on sea turtles

(cooperative with IOC/GIPME);5) Gulf of Maine fishing gear recovery (year 1 of 2);6) IOC associate support.

The decisions on which options to support, and the level ofsupport, will be made if and when the need arises during FY 95.

DESCRIPTION AND STATUS OF TASKS IN … 95-01.pdfthe MERP's education and public awareness program.,...

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Transcript of DESCRIPTION AND STATUS OF TASKS IN … 95-01.pdfthe MERP's education and public awareness program.,...