OA360 for the National TRAP Program

In 2024-2025, OA360 has been sub-awarded grant resources from the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS), funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Marine Debris Program through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Following a rigorous review and selection process, the Batten School & VIMS received an $8 million, four-year grant from NOAA in 2023 to administer the National TRAP Program and sub-awards. In addition to distributing approximately $1.5 million annually to fund regional cleanup efforts in years 2 through 4, the TRAP project aims to standardize data collection practices and establish a national database to evaluate the environmental and economic impacts of these efforts and inform future policies. OA360 is resourced via sub-award to conduct related 2025 activities in the Lower Florida Keys and over three weeks in May 2025 our participating fleet of local commercial boats took in 3,478 ghost traps, surveying each to build quality data sets.