Collaboration to Remove Boat Debris and Plastic from Marin Shoreline – Day After Election on Nov. 7

Limantour South Google Earth Transects for ship wreckage, Point Reyes National Seashore

What: Members of ORACLE TEAM USA, defenders of the 34th America’s Cup, will help clean up a stretch of beach at Point Reyes National Seashore with marine conservationists from Turtle Island Restoration Network, youth from Conservation Corps North Bay, and the America’s Cup Healthy Ocean Project to remove remnants of boat debris and plastic pollution before winter storms take it back out to sea.

The beach cleanup is open to the public. Media welcome to cover and participate. Interviews available.

When and Where: 8:30 am to 1 pm, Wednesday, Nov. 7, Limantour Beach, South Parking Lot, Point Reyes National Seashore, 10 miles west of the town of Point Reyes in West Marin.

Who: — Beach Clean-up Organizer: Marine Debris Action Team, Turtle Island Restoration Network, Dr. Chris Pincetich, Outreach Manager, 415-663-8590, ext. 102; Teri Shore, Program Director, 707 934 7081, www.seaturtles.org,
— America’s Cup Healthy Ocean Project, Jill McCarthy, Head of Partnerships, mobile 415 420 206, www.americascup.com
— ORACLE TEAM USA, Lisa Ramsperger,Communications, mobile 719 330 0565, www.oracleteamusa.com
— Point Reyes National Seashore, Ben Becker, Ph.D. Science Coordinator and Marine Ecologist Pacific Coast Science and Learning Center, 415 464 5187, www.sfnps.org/pcslc
–Conservation Corps North Bay, Brandon Benton, CRCN Supervisor 415 720 2056, www.conservationcorpsnorthbay.org

Why: Boat debris is washing up on the beaches of Point Reyes National Seashore in the wake of unrelated boating accidents involving racing yachts and a fishing boat. In response, Turtle Island Restoration Network has organized this special beach cleanup on the national park beach at Limantour Beach, which borders endangered leatherback sea turtle critical habitat. The goal is to pick-up and remove boat debris, plastic remnants and trash in advance of winter storms.

While most pieces of ORACLE TEAM USA’s damaged AC72 racing yacht have been recovered and removed from the marine environment, a few bits are still coming ashore. The team is joining the beach cleanup to add to its on-going efforts to protect the marine environment. Read more here.

Organization Profiles
Turtle Island Restoration Network is a nonprofit environmental organization committed to the study, protection, enhancement, conservation, and preservation of the marine environment and the wildlife that lives within it. Turtle Island carries out four initiatives: the Sea Turtle Restoration Project, Shark Stewards, the Salmon Protection and Watershed Network and the Got Mercury.org campaign. Photo at left shows debris on Limantour Beach from a fishing boat wreck.

The 34th America’s Cup Healthy Ocean Project is a Global “Call to Action” Campaign that embraces the connection between sailing and the ocean. The overall goal of the Healthy Ocean Project is to create awarenessaround the problems that face the ocean and inspire individual action around the solutions that exist. We focus our efforts on three core issues – Marine Protected Areas, Sustainable Seafood and Marine Debris/Plastics. Core initiatives of the Healthy Ocean Project are monthly beach clean ups around the bay area, a Film and Lecture series which brings global names in ocean conservation to the Bay area, and the I Pledge campaign which encourages individuals to pledge action on behalf of the ocean. America’s Cup Local Healthy Ocean Project partners are: Mission Blue, Aquarium of the Bay, The Marine Mammal Center, Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuaries, Monterey Bay Aquarium, Save the Bay, Sailors for the Sea, and Thank You Ocean.

When ORACLE TEAM USA won the 33rd America’s Cup in February 2010, not only did team owner Larry Ellison succeed in his goal of bringing the America’s Cup “home” to the United States, but his team became the Defender of the 34th America’s Cup. Led by CEO Russell Coutts and skipper Jimmy Spithill, ORACLE TEAM USA is comprised of the best international sailing, design, build and support talent to defend the trophy on San Francisco Bay in 2013.

Conservation Corps North Bay was founded in 1982, (originally the Marin Conservation Corps) and was the nation’s first local nonprofit conservation corps. It mission is simple: if we harness the energy of youth to preserve and protect the environment, the entire community profits.

The Pacific Coast Science and Learning Center (PCSLC) at Point Reyes National Seashore is one of 19 Research Learning Centers across the country. Research Learning Centers are field stations for many collaborative research activities, providing researchers with laboratory, office space, dormitory facilities and access to park research priorities and scientists. Each center’s education specialist works with park interpreters and partners to make new information about park resources available to the public and park management. We also provide hands-on learning experiences that connect researchers with learners of all ages.