St Petersburg, FL - May 20, 2016 - ReelCycle recently participated in the 3rd Florida Marine Debris Reduction Plan Meeting, a three-day workshop led by the NOAA Marine Debris Program bringing together Florida's marine debris community to share updates on accomplishments and to continue development of a statewide marine debris reduction plan.

Marine debris leaders within the state gathered to share information on existing projects and then begin developing a state-wide plan to address marine debris. Representatives from state agencies (Florida Department of Environmental Protection and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission), various NGO’s (e.g. ReelCycle, Sarasota Bay Watch, and the National Audubon Society), universities, and other NOAA offices as well participated in the meeting and plan development.

This highly specialized group of marine debris experts broke into working groups focused on derelict fishing gear, abandoned and derelict vessels, wildlife and habitat impacts, consumer debris, and emergency response. By the end of the meeting, the working groups had prioritized goals and created synergies between the groups, especially in terms of outreach, education, and messaging objectives.