The Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary encompasses a rich diversity of marine life and habitats and spans around 1470 square miles off our coast.
Thousands of pounds of harmful marine debris have been removed from the area by the Goal: Clean Seas program in a bid to protect the area.
Laura Stone runs the program and told KCLU, "It can be anything from plastic water bottles all the way to lobster traps."
Stone explains that in the Channel Islands the lobster traps can act as a "catchers net" for all forms of debris, because of the way the currents move.
"It's kind of a 'hotspot' for these kinds of materials," she said.
The program will institutionalize yearly clean up efforts in the future and address marine debris in Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary by introducing new elements, including integration of smaller scoping cleanups with lobstermen; expanding the number of lobstermen who are engaged in cleanup efforts; and adding new cleanup locations on the islands.
