Impacts | Marine Debris Program

Marine debris impacts are wide ranging. From being an eyesore on a beach to animal entanglement, marine debris is a problem that we cannot ignore.

Additional Photo Types

Derelict crab pots

A derelict net being pulled up from the Puget Sound contains fish

An albatross carcass has plastics in the stomach

Sea turtle entangled in fishing line. (Photo Credit: Sea Turtle Inc.)

Coral Removed from a Derelict Net.

A Laysan Albatross chick rests on a small derelict fishing net.

Broken Coral in a Derelict Fishing Net.

A monk seal sleeping on derelict nets.

A Laysan Albatross couple practices their mating dance. (Photo Credit: NOAA PIFSC Coral Reef Ecosystem Program)

The Marine Debris team is removing marine debris, particularly derelict fishing gear, from the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands to reduce entanglement hazards to the critically endangered Hawaiian monk seal. (NOAA PIFSC Coral Reef Ecosystem Program).

A Marine Debris team member disentangling a Laysan Albatross chick from a small derelict fishing net. (Photo credit: NOAA CREP)

A Black-footed albatross sits among a beach filled with derelict fishing net.

A flock of Laysan Albatrosses.

Bycatch Example (Photo Credit: VIMS)

Entangled hawksbill sea turtle in Hawaii.

Entangled Green Sea Turtle in Hawaii.

A juvenile Kemp's ridley sea turtle ingested a balloon.

Seal Swimming by Fishing Net

Dead fish trapped in a net that isn't being used by a fisher.

Debris Impact on Laysan Albatross

Entangled Green Sea Turtle.

Entangled Seal

Coral Reef Impacted by Derelict Net

Fouled Propeller

Entangled crab

Entangled green sea turtle

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For citation purposes, unless otherwise noted, this article was authored by the NOAA Marine Debris Program.

Last updated Tue, 03/11/2025 - 01:30 pm EDT