Boaters and Fishers

This page looks at what boaters and other watermen can do to combat marine debris from fishing line, crab pots, abandoned vessels, and more.

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Derelict Fishing Gear Derelict Fishing Gear Removal and Disposal Boating Gear Waste Reduction Donate Your Boat Clean Marina Resources Abandoned and Derelict Vessels

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Derelict Fishing Gear

Impact and Importance

Derelict fishing gear (DFG) can be referred to as “ghost gear,” whose effects include continuous capturing, trapping, and entangling of aquatic life, habitat smothering, and navigation hazards. Removing DFG can increase fisheries harvest and profitability with reduced natural mortalities. There are seven main methods of DFG removal: netting, skimming, barriers, trapping, GPS, bottom retrieval with machines, and bubble barriers.

Research is being done into the efficacy of biodegradable escape panels to allow caught animals to escape lost traps. Read more about the basics of biodegradable escape panels here, or view a more scientific explanation here.

Derelict Fishing Gear Removal and Disposal

Sometimes, fishing and aquaculture gear gets lost in the environment due to loss from storms, boat propellors, or improperly tied knots. Explore these options for how to remove derelict fishing gear when you come across it, and how to properly dispose of your own gear.

Want to learn more about a nationwide initiative to remove derelict fishing gear? Check out the National TRAP Program!

Crab Trap App

Register to remove crab pots from our waterways
Get the Crab Trap App

Monofilament Fishing Line Recycling

Find places that accept monofilament fishing line for recycling
Find Fishing Line Recycling Locations

Fishing Line Collection Bins

Find locations with fishing line collection receptacles for recycling
Find Fishing Line Recycling Bin Locations

Virginia Fishing Line Recycling Locations

Boating Gear Waste Reduction

Virginia Clean Boater Program

Voluntary pledge to give participants the resources needed to minimize pollution
Pledge to a Virginia Clean Boater

Shrinkwrap Collection Programs

Explore other options beside trashing your boat shrinkwrap
Explore Shrinkwrap Recycling Programs

Reusing Shrinkwrap

Proper care for removal, storage, and re-installation of boat shrinkwrap
Explore Boat Shrinkwrap Care Options

Reusable Shrinkwrap Options

Find a reusable boat cover that suits your needs
Explore Boat Shrinkwrap Reuse Options

Donate Your Boat

If your boat is nearing it's end of it's life or you're thinking of getting rid of it, consider donating it to charity before it reaches disrepair.
Before donating a boat that may otherwise need to be salvaged or junked, owners should carefully confirm that the donation organization is reputable, properly accepts legal ownership of the vessel, and has a clear plan to remove it from its slip, storage space, or other current location. Donation can be a helpful disposal option, but some organizations leave the boat in place while they attempt to auction or resell it. If the boat does not sell—or if the sale, title transfer, registration cancellation, or other ownership documentation is not completed correctly—the vessel can remain tied to the original owner or become abandoned or derelict. To help prevent this, owners should ask for written confirmation that the organization will take possession, arrange removal, complete all required transfer paperwork, and provide records showing that the owner is no longer responsible for the boat.

Boat U.S. Foundation Boat Donation Program

Donate to Boat U.S. Foundation

Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum Charity Boat Donation Program

Donate to Boat U.S. Foundation

Boat Angel

Donate to Boat Angel

Boats With Causes

Donate to Boats with Causes

Kars 4 Kids

Donate to Kars 4 Kids

Clean Marina Resources

The Virginia Clean Marina Program offers voluntary checklists to become Clean Marina certified, helping marinas develop and commit to eco-friendly practices

Virginia Clean Marina Program

The VCMP promotes the voluntary adoption of measures that prevent or reduce pollution from traditional and non-traditional marinas, boatyards and recreational boats.
Become a Virginia Clean Marina

Association of Marina Industries

Being a certified clean & resilient marina lets your customers, staff, peers, and even regulators know that you run an eco-friendly and sustainable operation and are a true steward of the environment.
Become a Clean and Resilient Marina

Virginia Department of Health Marina Program

The Virginia Department of Health (VDH)'s Marina Program protects public health and the environment by educating boaters on the proper disposal of sewage and regulating onshore boating operations. The Program also manages the Clean Vessel Act and the Boating Infrastructure Grants, both of which assist marinas in offsetting the cost of installing sanitary sewage collection systems and boating infrastructure.
Learn About Healthy Boating Operations

Abandoned and Derelict Vessels

Abandoned and Derelict Vessels (ADVs) often litter ports, waterways, marinas, and estuaries, threatening our ocean, coasts, and waterways by obstructing navigational channels, causing harm to the environment, and diminishing commercial and recreational activities. Environmental harm may include fuel leakage, release of hazardous materials, and habitat disturbance. ADVs can also be a nuisance, attract vandals, and negatively impact tourism. Learn more about what ADVs are and why they are a problem from NOAA's Marine Debris Program.

Abandoned and Derelict Vessel Reporting

Virginia CZM is partnering w/ NOAA & BoatUS Foundation to house an inventory of ADVs reported across the country. Upon submitting a report on the MyCoast website, you'll receive a confirmation receipt email. Virginia CZM staff will also receive an email alerting them to the new report of a Virginia ADV
Report an Abandoned or Derelict Vessel

Virginia ADV Removal Timeline

Use the side arrows on the screen to navigate the timeline

The Virginia Coastal Zone Management Program (Virginia CZM) identifies marine debris as a high priority issue for enhanced funding during a Section 309 Coastal Needs Assessment & Strategies process. Marine debris work is included under Virginia CZM's FY2011-2025 Ocean Management Strategy.
October 2011 Virginia ADV Removal Timeline
The Virginia Marine Debris Reduction Plan (VMDRP) is released by Virginia and Clean Virginia Waterways (CVW). The VMDRP is the second state- level marine debris plan in the U.S. and first on the U.S. East Coast. ADVs are identified as a major source of debris and three (3) associated Actions to address them are included, albeit sometimes combined in references to derelict fishing gear (DFG).
<font size = "15">October 2014 </font>
October 2014 Virginia ADV Removal Timeline
Virginia CZM and CVW begin stakeholder outreach to update the VMDRP for 2021-2025. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, Virginia CZM determines that stakeholder engagement on ADVs can proceed, possibly more efficiently via more frequent virtual meetings.
<font size = "15">September 2020 </font>
September 2020 Virginia ADV Removal Timeline
The Virginia Abandoned and Derelict Vessel Work Group (ADVWG) is established. Virginia CZM and CVW staff serve as co-chairs.
January 2021 Virginia ADV Removal Timeline
The ADVWG, comprised of over 30 organizations including Federal, Tribal, state, regional, local governments along with industry, environmental NGOs, marinas, and academia meets virtually 27 times. The ADVWG also includes four (4) Subcommittees: Laws & Policy, Funding, Removal & Disposal, and Prevention & Public Education. Virginia CZM and CVW also interview nine (9) other coastal states to learn more about their ADV programs. A law student at the College of William & Mary (W&M) concurrently develops a white paper documenting laws and regulations associated with ADVs in Virginia and other coastal states as well as offering policy recommendations.
January 2021 - May 2022Virginia ADV Removal Timeline
Virginia CZM staff develop and maintain a statewide ADV inventory with reports coming from the U.S. Coast Guard, Virginia Marine Police, coastal planning district commissions (PDCs), localities, marinas, and the public. In July 2026, Virginia CZM will transfer the Virginia inventory over to BoatUS Foundation’s MyCoast nationwide ADV inventory, funded by a NOAA grant.
January 2021 - PresentVirginia ADV Removal Timeline
The 2021 - 2025 VMDRP is released. ADVs now account for eight (8) Actions, up from three (3) in the previous version of the VMDRP.
November 2021Virginia ADV Removal Timeline
Virginia CZM and CVW share draft report and preview policy recommendations with ADVWG Members.
February 2022Virginia ADV Removal Timeline
W&M’s Law School publishes the policy white paper Abandoned & Derelict Vessels in the Commonwealth: How to Improve Virginia’s ADV Program.
May 2022Virginia ADV Removal Timeline
Draft ADVWG report is reviewed by state agency leadership and the Secretary of Natural & Historic Resources (SNHR). The final version is released in early July
May 2022 - July 2022Virginia ADV Removal Timeline
The Virginia General Assembly (GA) passes the state budget after extended session to negotiate. A budget amendment directing $3 million to the Virginia Marine Resources Commission (VMRC) for ADV removal through state fiscal years 2023-2024 is included in House Bill 30. The funds are not dedicated to a specific VMRC program and are therefore revertible to the General Fund if not spent by June 30, 2024. VMRC is the only state agency with the authority to remove ADVs, with localities being able to do so if they have a specific ordinance in place to do so.
January 2022 - June 2022Virginia ADV Removal Timeline
Old Dominion University (ODU) submits grant proposal From Learning to Willing to Doing: A Collaborative Approach to Implementing the Virginia Marine Debris Reduction Plan to NOAA for $300,000 in funding under the nationwide Marine Debris Community Coalitions Challenge to expand outreach related to ADVs and DFG in Norfolk and Portsmouth. Virginia CZM and CVW are included as advisory partners.
September 2022Virginia ADV Removal Timeline
Lynnhaven River NOW (LRN) submits a proposal – Removing Abandoned & Derelict Vessels in Virginia & Building Capacity for a Statewide Removal & Disposal Program - to NOAA for funding under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) marine debris removal nationwide competition. Virginia CZM and CVW are included as advisory partners.
October 2022Virginia ADV Removal Timeline
VMRC develops the Abandoned or Derelict Vessel Program, which allows coastal localities and Virginia Tribes to apply for upfront costs or reimbursements via grants from VMRC.
December 2022 - February 2023Virginia ADV Removal Timeline
LRN secures $2,944,135 in NOAA funding (not including $356,875 in non-Federal match) for Removing Abandoned & Derelict Vessels in Virginia & Building Capacity for a Statewide Removal & Disposal Program project.
July 2023Virginia ADV Removal Timeline
ODU secures $299,000 in NOAA funding for From Learning to Willing to Doing: A Collaborative Approach to Implementing the Virginia Marine Debris Reduction Plan project.
September 2023Virginia ADV Removal Timeline
VMRC’s Abandoned and Derelict Vessel Program approves 17 grant applications to 11 different localities and one (1) Federally recognized Virginia Tribe for removal of approximately 95 ADVs.
February 2023 - June 2024Virginia ADV Removal Timeline
The GA amends state statute to waive the requirement that localities must apply for a vessel’s title from the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR). Localities still must attempt to contact the last known owner and advertise the vessel in a local newspaper. However, an ordinance is no longer required for a locality to have authority to remove vessels.
January 2024 - April 2024Virginia ADV Removal Timeline
Unspent money in VMRC’s Abandoned or Derelict Vessel Program reverts to the Virginia General Fund.
July 2024Virginia ADV Removal Timeline
VMRC reopens the Abandoned or Derelict Vessel Program using extra funds from the Waterway Improvement Fund. The City of Virginia Beach receives funding for removal of several ADVs, the 18 th and final grant application processed by VMRC. The Program then closes once more.
February 2025 - March 2025Virginia ADV Removal Timeline
Virginia CZM leads the effort to draft ADV Actions and solicit stakeholder feedback for inclusion in the 2026-2030 VMDRP update. There are again eight (8) ADV Actions, but several previous Actions were combined and new Actions were added. The new Actions continue the focus on vessel removal but also revisit policy recommendations from the 2022 ADVWG report related to ADV prevention.
November 2025 - March 2026Virginia ADV Removal Timeline
ODU’s From Learning to Willing to Doing: A Collaborative Approach to Implementing the Virginia Marine Debris Reduction Plan project concludes. In addition to extensive education and outreach, the foundation for this Marine Debris Hub is created as a Hampton Roads regional marine debris webpage.
December 2025Virginia ADV Removal Timeline
LRN’s Removing Abandoned & Derelict Vessels in Virginia & Building Capacity for a Statewide Removal & Disposal Program project concludes, having removed nearly 100 vessels.
July 2026Virginia ADV Removal Timeline
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