In response to the BP Deepwater Horizon disaster, Ocean Conservancy and the Gulf state coordinators and zone captains are working on beach cleanups in advance of oil coming ashore, because once marine debris becomes covered in oil, it becomes much more dangerous and costly to clean up; only people with special training can handle this hazardous material.



Ocean Conservancy has partnered with the Surfrider Foundation and Skytruth to develop a Gulf Oil Spill Tracker where anyone in the Gulf region can submit their observations about and photos of beach conditions as the crisis develops. This information will be helpful to decision makers and cleanup crews in evaluating short-term remediation needs and long-term claims. To submit information, visit www.oilspill.skytruth.org. (iPhone users can download a handy app here: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/skytruth-gulf-oil-spill-tracker/id374295889?mt=8). Ocean Conservancy developed a pre-oil spill data card and cleanup checklist to guide people in both cleaning up debris and collecting information; as individuals and groups clear beaches of trash, the database is growing.



Pre-oil arrival cleanups are underway across the region. In Florida, Ann Haber and her neighbors with the Lower Matecumbe Key Association organized a cleanup on Saturday, May 29. Two dozen people picked up bottles, cans, and other litter on two beaches over the holiday weekend. The trash on the public beach was significant, says Ann, because people come in with a cooler full of items and leave the whole mess behind. On June 5, several organizations both national and regional (The Audubon Society, Defenders of Wildlife, Keep Pinellas Beautiful, Tamp Bay and Tampa Bay Estuaries Program) teamed up with Ocean Conservancy to clean beaches in St. Petersburg, Florida. Lead ICC sponsor Coca-Cola provided refreshments for volunteers, and local Walmart stores donated supplies.



All across the Gulf, the ICC network is immersed in this urgent situation. For example, in Louisiana Benjamin Goliwas, Sr., is working closely with local groups to try to protect Lake Pontchartrain. See below for an on-the-scene report from Mississippi Coordinator Lauren Thompson.



In addition, Ocean Conservancy has partnered with BoatUS Foundation to provide useful information to boaters in the Gulf region. Visit www.oceanconservancy.org to find out more.