Partner Updates
 Puget Soundkeeper Alliance cleanup volunteer overlooks Lake Union and downtown Seattle with trash grabber and cleanup supplies during Puget Soundkeeper annual July 5th post-fireworks cleanup of Lake Union (Photo Credit: Sean Dixon, Puget Soundkeeper).
Dive into Action: International Coastal Cleanup Saturday, September 20!
Get your hands sandy and join Puget Soundkeeper for our annual International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) day on September 20th from 10 am - 12 pm at Myrtle Edwards Park and Alki Beach. You'll join hundreds of volunteers across the Puget Sound in the fight for clean water by removing debris from our beaches and collecting critical data to protect environments and communities globally and locally! To join the global movement here in Seattle, RSVP here.
Every year, Puget Soundkeeper serves as the annual coordinator for ICC cleanups across the Puget Sound. If you live around the Puget Sound and are interested in leading your own cleanup as part of the ICC movement, please reach out to Puget Soundkeeper at psa@pugetsoundkeeper.org. Hope to see you on the water soon!
 Seattle Youth Group gathered to clean up marine debris after Independence Day at Ocean City State Park (Photo Credit: Lee First).
After the After-Independence Day Cleanup
On July 5, volunteers scoured the Grays Harbor County’s beaches. According to Waste Connections/LeMay Enterprises, 42.45 tons of debris were collected from Grays Harbor County beaches, packed into dumpsters and hauled by truck to the regional landfill in Arlington, Oregon.
On July 10th, Twin Harbors Waterkeeper and Puget Soundkeeper worked with a youth group to collect marine debris at Ocean City State Park. When we arrived, there was a mountain of fireworks trash in the parking lot. What was still on the beach was astounding—huge piles of still smoldering trash, bottles, plastic, and of course—mostly fireworks debris.
Despite any efforts to reduce Fourth of July trash on beaches, this still remains a major source of marine debris that requires several rounds of herculean efforts to clean up.
 Dead whale or a derelict boat? Either way, report it! (Photo Credit: Tow Boat US Friday Harbor).
Marine Mistaken Identity
The San Juan County Derelict Vessel Program responds to its fair share of strange incidents on the water. A sailboat that capsized in a recent storm continued to sail through the islands—but with its sails aloft underwater and its hull at the surface. Several people reported it as a floating dead whale. As stewards of the marine environment, we respond to both and rely on citizens to report what they see. In this case, the Derelict Vessel Program was able to secure the vessel until it could be safely removed by Washington State Department of Ecology and the boat owner’s insurance.
 Materials like wood, plastic, and concrete are sorted for recycling; the rest are responsibly disposed of (Photo Credit: Jessica Owens).
Crushed it! Whatcom Vessel Turn-in Event
Media Day
The Whatcom vessel turn-in recycling event kicked off in late July, giving Whatcom County boat owners an opportunity to safely dispose of unwanted vessels and keep them out of landfills and waterways. A total of 29 vessels applied to be a part of the program. To showcase the work, partners, special guests, and media gathered for a media day event hosted by the Port of Bellingham and held at the Landings at Colony Wharf in Bellingham on August 6th. Despite the rain, the event highlighted the spirit of partnership and support for the Washington Department of Natural Resources’ (DNR) Vessel Turn-In Program. The event concluded with an exciting demonstration of an excavator breaking down a 32-foot fiberglass vessel (watch a time-lapse of the break down).
Previous vessel turn-in events held collaboratively by DNR, NW Straits Commission, and partners in 2023 and 2024, resulted in a total of 73 vessels being voluntarily turned-in and recycled with substantial cost efficiencies to the VTIP program by bringing multiple boats to one place. The cost of vessel disposal and recycling is around $5,000 per vessel.
Thank you to partners DNR, Port of Bellingham, Whatcom Working Waterfront Coalition, Nooksack Indian Tribe, Northwest Straits Commission, NOAA Marine Debris Program, Whatcom MRC, Whatcom County, WA Department of Ecology, media, and special guests who attended media day! Stay tuned for more details as we gather final numbers from the event.
 Volunteers dinghy to shore to clean up beach (Photo Credit: Bruce Nyden).
Stewarding Remote Beaches Through
Community Collaboration
Braving the wind and rain, 20 volunteers removed nearly 20 pounds of marine debris from beaches on Stuart, Sucia, and Jones Island, during a weekend cleanup event in June. These remote islands are typically out of reach for volunteers, as they're only accessible by private boat. Thanks to a special collaboration between Plastic Free Salish Sea, the San Juan Island Yacht Club and Washington State Marine Parks, volunteers were able to access and clean these treasured outer island beaches. Small plastics, Styrofoam, painted wood, and other litter were removed, helping to protect wildlife and preserve the natural beauty of the islands. Community partnership made it possible to care for even the hardest-to-reach corners of the Salish Sea. A return trip is already in the works for next spring.
 NOAA Marine Debris Program Updates
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The BoatUS Foundation Announces 10 New Projects Under the Abandoned and Derelict Vessel Removal Grant Program
We are pleased to announce, in partnership with the BoatUS Foundation, 10 new marine debris removal projects under the Abandoned and Derelict Vessel Removal Grant Program. These projects represent an investment of nearly $7.4 million for removal of abandoned and derelict vessels with funds provided by the NOAA Marine Debris Program. The projects will remove derelict vessels in Alaska, Guam, Louisiana, Maine, North Carolina, Oregon, Washington, and U.S. Virgin Islands.
In Washington, the Makah Indian Tribe of the Makah Indian Reservation will build on the success of previous projects by removing the last ten abandoned boats and other wreckage from the water at Makah Marina, located on the northwestern tip of the Olympic Peninsula. Clearing out this debris will support the local fishing and tourism economy. The removal will help protect the tribal shellfish harvesting area in Neah Bay from pollution, make it safer to navigate, and free up more boat slip space for the Makah fishing fleet and visiting tourist vessels.
Learn more about these projects.
Photo: An abandoned derelict vessel at imminent risk of sinking at the Port of Newport, Oregon, will be removed under a groundbreaking removal program (Photo Credit: Dorothy Diehl, Oregon Dept. of State Lands).
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