Calcasieu
Lake Marine Debris Project Rescheduled, Seeking Volunteers
Posted:
7/27/06
The National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and Louisiana
Sea Grant College Program need volunteers with boats from
7 a.m. until 1 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 26, to participate in the
Calcasieu Lake Marine Debris Marking & Mapping Program.
Volunteers should meet at 7 a.m. at Calcasieu Point Landing,
3955 Henry Pugh Blvd., Lake Charles. Participants will be
provided with maps, buoys and PVC markers and will travel
to sections of Big Lake, Moss Lake and West Cove to mark debris
and record GPS coordinates. The first 100 volunteers will
receive a free T-shirt, and all registered volunteers will
be treated to lunch and drinks and will be eligible to win
door prizes.
Hurricane
Rita scattered residential, industrial and vegetative debris
throughout the Calcasieu Lake estuary system, creating hazards
for recreational and commercial boaters, as well as their
vessels and gear. Before this debris can be removed, it must
be located, marked and mapped. NOAA’s Office of Coast
Survey, Louisiana Sea Grant, Lake Charles Coastal Conservation
Association (CCA), Lake Charles Power Squadron, LSU AgCenter,
Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, Lake Charles
Pilots, U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary and Sempra Energy have
teamed up to address the problem. Ship to Shore Co., Capt.
Sammie Faulk and Stine Lumber also have provided support to
the project.
The original
volunteer day scheduled for June 24 was cancelled due to an
oil spill, but the program enjoyed a successful kickoff July
15 thanks to the involvement of fishermen participating in
the 21st Annual Lake Charles CCA Trout Shoot Out. For boaters
unable to participate on Aug. 26, maps and markers are available
now at no charge at Calcasieu Point Landing. Boaters are asked
to keep these materials onboard and to mark and report and
debris they find during their travels. Markers will remain
available throughout the summer.
For more
information, or to report marine debris, visit www.laseagrant.org/debris
or contact Tim Osborn, Tim.Osborn@noaa.gov,
(337) 291-2111; Kevin Savoie,
KSavoie@agcenter.lsu.edu,
(337) 475-8812; or Justin Farrell, jfarrell@lsu.edu,
(225) 578-6348.
This
effort is made possible with involvement of NOAA's Office
of Coast Survey with the funding and support of NOAA's Marine
Debris Program, which is part of the NOAA Office of Response
and Restoration (National Ocean Service). The NOAA Marine
Debris Program works with other NOAA offices and partners
to support national, state, local and international efforts
to protect and conserve our nation’s natural resources
and coastal waterways from the impacts of marine debris.
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