San Juan Islands Japanese Tsunami Debris Project

01/30/2013

Keep an eye out for debris on San Juan County beaches and let us know if you find anything suspicious.

Two years after the Japanese disaster, tonnes of flotsam continue to drift ashore. Observers say they’ve never seen so much garbage

01/03/2013

Check out this new smart phone app that is encouraging members of the public to become “citizen scientists” and help track tsunami debris as it arrives.

With more than a million tonnes of debris from the Japanese tsunami floating toward North American shores and beaches, a new app is encouraging members of the public to become “citizen scientists” and help track the wreckage as it arrives. Some of that debris, washed out to sea in March ...

12/31/2012

Marine scientists say dozens of Japanese coastal species hitched a ride across the Pacific Ocean on a floating dock. The likely piece of tsunami debris washed ashore in Olympic National Park last week.

12/10/2012

An open boat recovered from the shoreline of Kahana Bay, Oahu, may be the next piece to be verified as Japan tsunami marine debris, pending confirmation by the Government of Japan, with assistance by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the Consulate-General of Japan in Honolulu...

DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES News Release NEIL ABERCROMBIE GOVERNOR WILLIAM J. AILA JR CHAIRPERSON … Continue reading →...

11/20/2012

A Seattle oceanographer who has been tracking debris from the Japanese tsunami says a huge debris field, hundreds of miles across, is about 400 miles off the Washington coast...

EVERETT, Wash. — A Seattle oceanographer who has been tracking debris from the Japanese tsunami says a huge debris field, hundreds of miles across, is

10/31/2012

Keep your eyes open out there on our San Juan County beaches. And please report potential tsunami debris to FRIENDS of the San Juans.

Winter winds and ocean currents are expected to deposit more debris on the Washington coast from the March 2011 tsunami in Japan.

10/17/2012

A Willapa Bay DNR crew recently removed 62 large garbage bags full of debris including pieces of Styrofoam and plastic bottles with Asian writing on them. Keep your eyes open on San Juan County beaches and let us know if you find anything - especially after storms.

DNR crew removing marine debris from Willapa Bay beaches OLYMPIA, Washington – This week, a Washington Department of Natural Resources (DNR) work crew began cleaning up accumulated marine debris th...

10/09/2012

The Washington Marine Debris Task Force released its initial plan for responding to various types of marine debris that may cross the Pacific Ocean and reach our shores from the March 11, 2011, Japan tsunami. Stay tuned. FRIENDS of the San Juans will be mobilizing our volunteer base soon to help with San Juan County's effort to collect and report debris.

08/08/2012

A great info-graphic regarding trash in the ocean!

07/13/2012

Do you know what to do if you find tsunami debris?

If it appears hazardous, call 911. If any materials appear to be HAZMAT (barrels or canisters of fuels or chemicals) call the Department of Ecology at 800-OILS-911. Report large floating material to the U.S. Coast Guard National Response Center (1-800-424-8802). Report all suspected tsunami debris to NOAA at [email protected]; provide location, date/time found and photos.

And don’t forget to share your photos on this page!

07/13/2012

Photos of Japanese tsunami debris that was found on the south side of San Juan Island.