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Home > Current News > 2006

News: 2006

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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