About Us

Tangaroa Blue Foundation is an Australian registered charity focused on the health of our marine environment, and coordinates the Australian Marine Debris Initiative, an on-ground network of volunteers, communities, organisations and agencies around the country monitoring the impacts of marine debris along their stretch of coastline.

Since the program started in 2004, more than 17 million pieces of marine debris have been removed from the Australian coastline and data on this debris collated and inputted into the Australian Marine Debris Database.

The database is used to firstly identify what is impacting different sections of the coast, and then to track wherever possible where those items are coming from. Lastly, stakeholders are then brought together to work on practical solutions and create source reduction plans to stop marine debris from entering our oceans in the first place. The database has open access to all contributors who are also recognised when data is used and has been used by the CSIRO, James Cook University, all levels of government and communities.

While an estimated 40,000 pieces of plastic float in every square kilometre of ocean, it is only when it washes ashore that most people get an idea of how much rubbish must actually be out in our oceans and the impacts that this has on marine life and seabirds. This is also our best opportunity to remove it from the environment before the next tide washes it back out to sea again.

Volunteers, organisations and communities from around the country are invited to join forces in the Australian Marine Debris Initiative to find practical solutions in reducing ocean pollution.

Tangaroa Blue Foundation is able to provide support to communities, organisations, agencies and schools including training, clean up materials and logistical support, educational resources and analysis of the debris they are finding. This feedback has provided valuable data on the types and amounts of marine debris impacting sections of coast and also resulted in communities having real on-ground success stories in the reduction of marine debris impacting their site.

Tangaroa Blue Foundation is also a member of the Global Partnership on Marine Litter, the premier global network for advancing solutions to reduce and eliminate marine litter in our oceans.

For more information, contact Tangaroa Blue Foundation at info@tangaroablue.org