By Jeff Green
An app used by citizen scientists around the globe to report coastline pollution now allows users to record the specialized marine debris often found in this province.
It's all thanks to the efforts of a group of Memorial researchers.
The Marine Debris Tracker is a free smartphone application launched nearly a decade ago through a partnership between the U.S.-based National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Marine Debris Program and the Southeast Atlantic Marine Debris Initiative at the University of Georgia. It was co-developed by Dr. Jenna Jambeck and a team of other citizen scientists.
Anybody can download and use the app. At the push of a button, you can log the debris and add items to an online map. The app records the debris location through GPS and uploads the data into the cloud for public access.
Memorial creation
The Memorial team created a categorization sheet for the app, which allows users to document debris typically found along the shores and coasts in this province. The team has tested and used the app during recent surveys throughout the province, including in Placentia Bay and Fortune Bay.
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