Marine Debris and Nurdle Patrol in the Coastal Bend

Jace Tunnell is the HRI Director of Community Engagement at the Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. Jace is the founder of a citizen science project called Nurdle Patrol that tracks plastic pellet concentrations internationally to create awareness of plastics in the ocean and develop new policy based on the data. He also directs and produces a video series called “Beachcombing” about items washing up along the Gulf of Mexico beaches to help promote awareness on Gulf processes and interesting creatures in the ocean. His conservation efforts include educating the public about plastic pollution, marine science, and protection of our natural resources.

This presentation will focus on marine debris washing up along the Coastal Bend of Texas and go into detail about Nurdle Patrol efforts by citizen scientists along the Gulf of Mexico, what the data is showing, and future direction of the program in changing policy about plastics reaching the ocean. Nurdles are small plastic pellets that are the basis of almost everything plastic. Nurdles look like food to animals causing possible intestinal blockage and/or starvation if eaten, and they adsorb harmful chemicals in the environment that are known to have negative impacts on fish and wildlife. Over 9,000 volunteers have collected over 20,000 surveys at over 8,000 sites across the United States, Mexico, and 26 other countries to help identify possible sources of the plastic pellets (nurdles). Come to this presentation to see how you can get involved in helping to protect the ocean.