Marine debris that takes the form of plastics—whether a water bottle tossed off a boat, abandoned fishing line, or microbeads/microplastics from soap or laundry—impacts the ecosystem in large and small ways. Sea Grant programs around the Gulf address the issue through a variety of approaches.
Programs
Litter prevention and removal resources
This page contains links to state-based and multi-state resources, focusing on the northern Gulf of Mexico.
Gulf-wide citizen science microplastics sampling map
In this Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium-funded project, citizen scientists collected and counted microplastics in sediment and water samples across the US Gulf coast. To view the interactive map, click here.
Texas monofilament recovery and recycling
Monofilament, more commonly known as fishing line, can be harmful to marine wildlife if not retrieved. To learn more about this Texas Sea Grant program, click here. Follow them on Facebook here.
Videos
How plastic affects wildlife with Chris Figgener
What are microplastics and how do they affect our health?
News
Texas Sea Grant co-sponsored the first Texas Plastic Pollution Symposium
Mississippi River Microplastics on the Menu
Yoga pants adding to sea pollution, Alabama led study finds
Yoga pants, fleece jackets and sea pollution: The link you didn’t know
Coastal Cleanup volunteers can reduce microplastics in water
McGuire Awarded NOAA Grant to Raise Awareness about Microplastics in Florida Waters
Featured photo: Microplastics photographed in the studio for a Florida Trend feature on Friday, July 21st, 2017. (Florida Sea Grant)