The document discusses different types of marine debris found in Jamaica Bay, including abandoned boats, docks, floats, plastic items, and tires. It also describes religious offerings that can become debris such as incense pots, flags, and coconuts from Hindu and Voodoo rituals. The document recommends increasing patrols of shorelines, placing signage, enlisting volunteers, and enforcing regulations to address the marine debris issue.

1. Marine Debris

2. Abandoned Boats

3. Gerritsen Creek Boats

4. Schmidt’s Marina

6. Old Docks and Floats

7. Balloons, plastics, Styrofoam, cans, bottles, etc.

8. Tires and Timbers

9. Plumb Beach, c. 2006

10. Religious Rituals

11. Incense Pots

12. Saris /prayer flags

13. Hindu Deities: Hanuman ( monkey) and Ganusha ( elephant)

14. Durga – Divine Mother

15. North Channel Bridge

16. In India during all Pujas one of the most common offering made is that of a coconut. It
is a part of rituals carried out during everything new and happy – weddings, new
constructions, festivals, havans (homa). The coconut is broken and offered to the deity
being worshiped and later on distributed as parsadam to the devotees.

17. VOODOO: Ghede Nibo is considered a great healer, carrying a bottle of white rum
He often also carries a staff and smokes a cigar. Nibo is the special patron of those who die young.
Purple is considered his sacred color, and usual offerings include black goats, black roosters,
calabash, cigars, coconut, fried plantains, pistachios, smoked herrings, sweet sesame balls, and
white rum spiced with African bird pepper.

18. Cigars and Rum, candles, matches

19. Santaria Ceremonies: Santería has its roots in the Yoruba people of West
Africa. The slave trade brought many Africans to Cuba, Brazil, Haiti, the
southern USA, Puerto Rico, Trinidad and other Caribbean basin nations.

20. Chicken, vitamin C

21. Debris from People Fishing

22. General Shoreline Debris

23. NY State Coastal Cleanup

24. Church of God has been cleaning Jamaica bay
beaches twice/yearly for last 8 years…

25. Spring Creek shoreline, September, 2016

26. Spring Creek shoreline, 11-16-2016

27. Spring Creek shoreline, 11-16-2016

28. Recommendations
- Have Park Rangers do daily patrols of all known debris issue
shorelines ( NC Bridge, Spring Creek, Plumb Beach, etc.), note
violations and problems, talk with people, make friends and discuss
park regulations and concerns. ( Roving Ranger)
- Learn about park users and different cultures.
- Place readable signage with distinct message at critical sites.
- Enlist volunteers and give out program flyers
- Enforce Regulations

31. Jamaica Bay Aerial c. 1938

32. New York Harbor Aerial c.1979

33. Jamaica Bay Aerial c. 1979

121. Stranded whales

142. Butterfliesand Moths

162. Annual
Songbird
Census