No single organization could independently address the multiple issues created by abandoned, lost, or otherwise discarded fishing gear (ALDFG) or end-of-life (EOL) fishing gear in the northeast region

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) awarded a $3,217,367 Cooperative Agreement grant under the NOAA Marine Debris Program to the Center for Coastal Studies, Inc. (doing business as Provincetown Center for Coastal Studies), a non-profit organization, to establish a regional coalition across New England to address abandoned, lost, or discarded fishing gear (ALDFG) and end-of-life fishing gear. The 3-year project will involve conducting at-sea sonar surveys, grappling for ALDFG, supporting diver-led gear removals, shoreline debris cleanups, and facilitating the collection, processing, repurposing, recycling, and disposal of EOL fishing gear. Where possible, the project will work to identify and return salvaged gear to its original owners.

By forming a regional coalition, partners across new england are establishing a network of vendors including marine debris artists, for-profit and nonprofit enterprises, and waste stream diversion services to share resources, reach across state boundaries, and establish replicable debris collection, data management, and disposal systems. Partners will be conducting at-sea sonar surveys, grappling for ALDFG in maine, new hampshire, and massachusetts waters, supporting diver-led gear removals of lost traps and other gear, surveying island and mainland shorelines using unmanned aerial systems, conducting large-scale shoreline debris removals, and facilitating EOL gear collection, processing, storage, repurposing, recycling, and disposal. Wherever possible, salvaged gear bearing owner identi