OTR/GhostNet Project | Ocean Trek Research

P R O J E C T • • O B J E C T I V E S

To identify and prioritize the likely locations of marine debris and ghostnets using remote sensing and oceanographic modeling

To use this information to search oceanic convergence zones for ghostnets and marine debris

To develop debris identification capacity using GPS tracking buoys, LIDAR and other airborne and remote sensors and Geographic Information Systems as the search tools

To create a data and information system and web enabled maps for project implementation

To assess potential risks of marine debris to Alaskan and Hawaiian fisheries, the coastal environment and navigation

To communicate results of the project to stakeholders

OTR Buoys Track Sea Debris in North Pacific Gyre

This video (above) illustrates one of the many ways an OTR buoy can be utilized for research and tracking. Follow its three-year trek as an OTR-200 describes a meandering route within the North Pacific Gyre, then as it jets east into the California Current and finally west into the North Equatorial Current. This track offers scientists insights into the dynamics of debris caught in the North Pacific Gyre as part of NOAA’s Ghostnet Project.