New York and Connecticut have agreed on a multifaceted five-year plan to reduce the amount of waste in Long Island Sound. Known as the Marine Debris Action Plan, it was completed in May 2022 and will last through 2027. 

This 38-page plan, which took two years to create, is being run through the Connecticut and New York sea grant programs, both of which receive funding from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. For decades now, Long Island Sound has had problems with pollution and waste from various sources, such as boats and fishing gear, as well as upstream creeks and rivers. The Marine Debris Action Plan seeks to tackle the waste problem to create a cleaner environment for marine life and people.

The plan is organized under three categories: single-use plastic and other lands- and water-based consumer debris; abandoned and lost fishing and aquaculture gear; and microplastics and microfibers (microplastics are known to be dangerous to wildlife). Each category of debris will be tracked and closely monitored. 

Among the actions the plan will implement are public education, prevention policies, better recycling and waste collection, and efforts to change people’s behavior. Other actions include cleaning the sound by adding modern septic systems and restoring the sound by rebuilding salt marshes.

 For more information, visit SeaGrant.uconn.edu or SeaGrant.sunysb.edu.