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Citizen scientists take on problem of Pacific plastics
The Pacific Garbage Patch, including debris from the 2011 Japanese Tsunami, travels in seasonal patterns. COASST executive direct Julia Parrish explains the patterns and how her organization is helping to mitigate the problem.
Credit: NSF
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COASST is a citizen science group that monitors marine resources and ecosystem health at more than 350 beaches from northern California to Alaska. Here, interns consult COASST's marine debris protocol to determine how to describe marine debris.
Credit: The Coastal Observation and Seabird Survey Team
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COASST interns size up a plastic bag. The bag's translucence and flexibility make it a potential hazard to sea turtles, which can mistake plastic films for prey such as jellyfish.
Credit: The Coastal Observation and Seabird Survey Team
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Data related to beached debris aids efforts to reduce the impacts of marine debris on coastal wildlife. Here, COASST interns look for small debris (less than 5cm) in a plot.
Credit: The Coastal Observation and Seabird Survey Team
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To determine debris concentration on a given beach, sampling areas are measured by pacing. Here, a COASST intern paces the width of a narrow Puget Sound beach.
Credit: The Coastal Observation and Seabird Survey Team
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