Report on Removing Marine Debris from Beaches near Teller, Alaska in Fred Jay Ivanoff and Wesley W. Jones 1. January, 2011.

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1 Report on Removing Marine Debris from Beaches near, Alaska in 2010 By Fred Jay Ivanoff and Wesley W. Jones 1 January, 2011 For Marine Conservation Alliance Foundation 431 N Franklin St Suite 305 Juneau, Alaska Norton Sound Economic Development Corporation, Norton Sound Fisheries Research and Development Department, P.O. Box 193, Unalakleet, AK, 99684, Page 1 of 9

2 Introduction The Norton Sound Clean Water Program aims to clean waterways and beaches of Norton Sound of debris that may be harmful to area fish and wildlife resources. The program was initiated by NSEDC, after board members expressed concern over the number of old nets that were in and around area waters. This program consist of two components the marine debris and the freshwater debris. The marine debris focuses on cleaning Norton Sound coastline and associated ocean flood plains. The marine debris portion of work is in cooperation with the Marine Conservation Alliance Foundation (MCAF). MCAF funding is accessed whenever possible. The freshwater debris focuses on cleaning Norton Sound Rivers and work to prevent debris from entering the rivers. The freshwater clean up is funded by NSEDC at this time. Other funding sources are being sot to help fund the freshwater clean up. In September 2006, a test cleanup was conducted in Unalakleet. In 2007, Clean Waters Program expanded to conduct marine debris cleanups in Unalakleet and Shaktoolik, and also in 2007 a fresh water cleanup was operated in White Mountain, NSEDC also ran a small fresh water cleanup in Unalakleet and Shaktoolik River. In 2008, Marine Debris Clean-ups were conducted in Golovin, Savoonga, and Gambell. In 2009, cleanups were conducted in St. Michael, Brevig Mission, Stebbins, Diomede, and St. Lawrence Island. In 2010, cleanups were conducted in Wales,, Elim and Koyuk. The Elim and Koyuk clean-ups were solely funded by NSEDC. NSEDC continues to improve cleanup methods and budgets to make operations run effectively. NSEDC plans to continue cleanup project around Norton Sound but conducting fewer projects each year. Objective: 1. Remove debris washed onto the beach from to Village Mountain Cabins past Port Clarence. 2. Remove debris from flood plains associated with the in same area. 3. If time permits remove debris from east in Grantley Harbor. Methods: This cleanup is an expansion of the NSEDC cleanup program that begun in The clean up crew worked a total of 27 days from July 19 th to August 30 th, with the crew being hired locally. The crew rented boats, four-wheelers and a truck to remove debris for the beaches and to get it to the local landfill. cleanup areas will be broken into four sections. Area one of cleanup took place from the mouth of Grantley Harbor south to Cape Riley. Area two was from the south side of Cape Riley to Gold Standard Creek. The crew resumed from the south side of Gold Standard Creek to Point Page 2 of 9

3 Spencer. Area four started on the south section of Point Spencer down to Mound Cabins. The weights and debris collected from an area was documented. Weight estimate, was done by sub-sampling the overall debris. Sub-sampling was done by weighing debris from every fifth four-wheeler load and every fifth boat load. Each load that was weighed was broken into specified debris types and each weight of debris type was taken. The crewleader also designated a load to be weighed if it did not appear to be an average load. Weight will be taken using a scale hanging from a tripod (Figure 1). Figure 1: Weighing tripod with a bag of debris. (Picture from Elim Project) Results: The total weight removed from the cleanup was 15,281 pounds (Table 1). The crew was able to complete cleaning all proposed area and continue east into Grantley Harbor. A total of 13 people worked threw out the 27 days. Page 3 of 9

4 Figure 2: Area Cleaned Discussion: The weight collected in 2010 is believed to be more accurate then prior years. A minimum of one fifth of all debris were actually weighed. No large catchments were found. Most of the accumulation appeared to be from small amounts of debris collection over a long period of time. The majority of the debris removed was metal objects from the beaches at the point of Grantley Harbor and Port Clarence. A large portion of the debris was from the old Air Field at the point. The beaches were cleaned of small items that could be removed by hand. The crew worked quick and efficiently and was able to get into Grantley Harbor side. In the future, a thought from a local person, Imurak Basin would be a good place to clean up. As, Brevig Mission and Nome people use that area and debris could be found in the basin Page 4 of 9

5 area. Also need a way to clean up camp sites that have used honey buckets and left them in ditches close to camping areas. Figure 3: Old runway ramp Figure 4: Crew picking up debris Page 5 of 9

6 Figure 5: Rope debris Figure 6: Trawl net debris Page 6 of 9

7 Table 1: Cleanup Weights Removed. Day Date Weight Weight Weight Weight Number Number of Weight Total of Plastic of Fishing of of of 55 gallon of Weight Removed Material (lbs) Foam (lbs) Other (lbs) Boats Drums Boats (lbs) of Debris (lbs) Removed Removed a Removed Removed b Removed b Removed Removed 1 19-Jul , Jul , Jul , Jul Jul Jul Jul Jul Jul Jul Jul Aug Aug Aug Aug Aug , Aug Total: ,281 Page 7 of 9

8 Table 2: Summary of completed Form 2.. Date Location Latitude Longitude length width Natural Collecting area Animals observed Total Weight 19-Jul yes Seals, Eagles Jul yes Seals Jul yes Seals Jul , yes Seals Jul , yes Seals Jul , yes Seals Jul , yes Seals Jul yes Seals Jul yes Seals Jul , yes Jul yes Seals Aug yes Aug Aug yes Aug yes Seals Aug Aug yes 536 Total 206, Page 8 of 9

9 Table 3: Percentages of debris types from completed Form 2. Misc Other Plastic Plastic Other Trawl Crab Domestic other Fishing Beverage non-bev Cans Nonvessel (all Location Beach Net Line Gill net HSDN Floats lines Related Banding bottles containers type) Foam related Point 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 2% 1% 0% 15% 0% 15% 7% 60% 100% Point 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 4% 1% 0% 8% 4% 12% 1% 70% 100% Point 0% 0% 0% 0% 1% 3% 0% 0% 8% 10% 50% 8% 20% 100% Cape Riley- Jones Point 0% 0% 0% 0% 2% 5% 3% 0% 9% 15% 10% 51% 5% 100% Jones Point 0% 0% 0% 0% 15% 10% 4% 0% 10% 12% 9% 20% 20% 100% Port Clarence 0% 0% 0% 0% 4% 8% 2% 0% 15% 15% 30% 20% 6% 100% Port Clarence 0% 0% 0% 0% 8% 5% 7% 0% 20% 10% 20% 10% 20% 100% Port Clarence ( Point Spencer) 0% 0% 0% 0% 10% 2% 2% 4% 20% 20% 20% 12% 10% 100% Port Clarence (Point Spencer) 0% 0% 0% 0% 8% 3% 0% 4% 5% 15% 30% 5% 30% 100% Port Clarence Point Spencer) 0% 0% 0% 0% 4% 0% 0% 0% 20% 20% 20% 20% 16% 100% Port Clarence 0% 0% 0% 0% 8% 0% 0% 0% 10% 10% 20% 7% 45% 100% Port Clarence 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 5% 5% 5% 5% 80% 100% Port Clarence/Jones Point 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 1% 3% 6% 0% 90% 100% Port Clarence 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 5% 5% 5% 5% 80% 100% Port Clarence 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 1% 0% 0% 5% 10% 10% 4% 70% 100% Grantley Harbor 0% 0% 1% 0% 0% 1% 0% 1% 10% 12% 14% 1% 60% 100% Grantley Harbor 0% 1% 0% 0% 2% 0% 1% 5% 10% 70% 1% 10% 100% Overall 0% 0% 2% 0% 42% 22% 11% 10% 121% 135% 250% 90% 517% Page 9 of 9