The 2022 Virginia Marine Debris Summit was held September 26-28 at the <a href="https://virginiaaquarium.com/">Virginia Aquarium &amp; Marine Science Center</a> in Virginia Beach, VA.
This year’s summit organized by <a href="https://www.cleanvirginiawaterways.org/">Clean Virginia Waterways (CVW)</a> and the <a href="https://www.deq.virginia.gov/water/coastal-zone-management">Virginia CZM Program</a> focused on consumer debris.
Following years of virtual meetings, including the 2021 MARCO Mid-Atlantic Marine Debris Summit, the Virginia summit was held in person, selling out of registrations with 120 people in attendance, including a few attendees from MARCO states.
The event began with a Monday night free, public  lecture given by Zach Huntington of CVW and Laura McKay of the VA CZM Program, detailing Virginia efforts to curb plastic pollution in the ocean.
<h3 data-start="148" data-end="210">Highlights from the September 27–28 Marine Debris Events</h3>
The two-day event featured a rich mix of presentations, field trips, and collaborative discussions focused on marine debris reduction across Virginia and the Mid-Atlantic region.
Key Sessions and Presentations:
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Keynote Address: Nancy Wallace, Director of NOAA’s Marine Debris Program, opened the event with a keynote on national progress and priorities.
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Virginia Marine Debris Reduction Plan: Updates on the 2021–2025 plan highlighted strategies for prevention, behavior change, education, and outreach.
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Campaign Spotlights:
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Virginia Witmer and Avalon Bristow presented on MARCO’s balloon release reduction campaign.
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Plans were shared for curbing single-use plastic bottles at beaches and other waterfront recreation areas throughout the Mid-Atlantic.
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Policy and Legislation: A session on plastic pollution policy and potential future legislation included a presentation by Steve Raabe of OpinionWorks on findings from the 2022 Virginia Coastal Zone Management (CZM) Program and Clean Virginia Waterways statewide survey exploring Virginia voters’ preferences on plastic pollution policy.
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Field Trips and Hands-On Learning:
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Guided tours of the Virginia Aquarium’s new Marine Mammal and Sea Turtle Stranding Center and the new South Building.
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A marine debris collection and monitoring exercise at the Oceanfront, where participants also visited the Virginia CZM-funded marine debris kiosk on the Oceanfront Boardwalk.
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Networking and Collaboration:
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A sunset networking reception offered participants the opportunity to connect and even spot dolphins offshore.
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Break-out groups and an open mic session encouraged attendees to share priorities, challenges, next steps, and emerging opportunities.
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Post-Summit Activities:
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A second tour of the Aquarium’s Stranding Center was offered after the Summit.
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To the delight of Katie Register, Director of Clean Virginia Waterways, she participated in the release of a rehabilitated Kemp’s Ridley sea turtle.
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A full summary of the Summit will be posted on <a href="https://www.deq.virginia.gov/water/coastal-zone-management/coastal-conservation/marine-debris">Virginia CZM’s Marine Debris webpage</a>.
Photo credits: VA CZM Program
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Release of a rehabilitated Kemp’s Ridley sea turtle at Virginia Beach
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Marine Debris Kiosk on the Oceanfront Boardwalk at Virginia Beach
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2022 Virginia Marine Debris Summit

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