Filed under: Activities & Attractions, Nature & Wildlife, State & National Parks, Uncategorized

Tips for Dealing with Tsunami Debris

If, like me, you love to walk the  shores of the Pacific Ocean in order to hunt for treasures such as shells, seaweed and driftwood, then you might read this information regarding the wave of tsunami debris that is heading our way and landing on our beaches.

Recently, our coastal beaches have experienced an increase in marine debris resulting from the devastating March 11, 2011 Japanese tsunami. I haven’t stumbled upon any myself this summer, but if you plan to head to West Coast beaches, then you should probably be aware of this resource, offering tips, hotlines, and instructions.

While researching this blog post, I discovered that a Japanese boat washed up at Cape Disappointment State Park in June. I wasn’t aware of this,  but  I found it interesting. Here is the official information on how the boat was handled by state and federal agencies. Officials apparently found the boat owner in Japan, but he isn’t interested in gettting the boat back and is okay with it being disposed of by officials.

For additional information and visuals on the debris, check out this fascinating Flickr photo gallery. There is also a Hazardous Marine Debris handbook from NOAA.

–Melissa A. Trainer

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