Welcome to the website for the National Academies' Committee on the Effectiveness of International and National Measures to Reduce and Prevent Marine Debris and Its Impacts. The study is funded by the U.S. Coast Guard. The committee's statement of task is as follows:
An ad hoc committee will be formed to examine the effectiveness of international and national measures to prevent and reduce marine debris and its impact. The committee will prepare a report that includes:
- An evaluation of international and domestic implementation of MARPOL Annex V and the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships (33 U.S.C. 1901 et seq.) and identification of cost-effective, innovative approaches that could be taken to improve implementation and compliance
- A review and assessment of technologies, strategies, and management practices for further reducing the impact of marine debris, including derelict fishing gear. As part of this review, the committee will examine the International Maritime Organization’s Guidelines for the Implementation of Annex V of MARPOL and recommend additional federal or international actions that could be taken to further reduce debris and its impacts
- An evaluation of the role of floating fish aggregation devices in the generation of marine debris and existing legal mechanisms to reduce impacts of such debris, focusing on impacts in the Western Pacific and Central Pacific regions
- An overview of the existing federal statutes on marine debris (including land-based sources) with a description of the responsibilities of the designated federal agencies
We hope this website proves to be useful. Additional study information can be on our Current Projects website. Feel free to contact Jodi Bostrom, Research Associate, if you have any questions or concerns.
