Above: Felicia Olmeta Schult (Oregon Sea Grant) alongside volunteers helping remove small pieces of polystyrene foam debris. Photo: CKC Media.
On Saturday, May 17, we wrapped up the second site of our Yaquina Bay Aquaculture Marine Debris Cleanup Series with the Foam Fighters Cleanup at Half Way Park—and what a finale it was.
Half Way Park, located just across Bay Road from Oregon Oyster Farms, is where the estuary flows under the highway and back into the wetlands. It’s a spot where water—and unfortunately, debris—collects. Over the years, this site has become a catch-all for abandoned aquaculture materials. It's also a lovely local walking trail, and on Saturday, it got the attention it deserved.
In just two hours, ~ 40 volunteers showed up to scour the highway shoulder, estuary edge, and muddy wetlands to remove a whopping 8,710 lbs of debris. The ground was slick and soft—there were a few close calls with boots nearly lost to the muck—but spirits stayed high. The forecasted rain never came, and the sun even peeked out, setting the tone for a day full of positive energy and teamwork.
Volunteers pulled out huge chunks of polystyrene dock foam, ropes, tires, and legacy debris that had clearly been back there for years—along with thousands of tiny foam fragments that, if left, would continue breaking down into microplastics. It was gritty, hands-on work, and a reminder of just how persistent this type of pollution can be.
The plastic bags we used to collect debris were recycled from EPA’s National Aquatic Resource Surveys program. They’re originally used to send water samples to the EPA lab in Corvallis, where teams analyze around 1,000 (!!!) rivers, streams, lakes, wetlands, and coastlines each year. The lab runs chemistry tests on everything from nutrients and alkalinity to organic carbon and water clarity. This work helps set a national baseline for water quality and tracks how it’s changing over time. Instead of tossing the bags after shipping, they were donated to us at the Surfrider Newport Chapter and we put them to good use in the field again!
Above: Diehl family helps remove both large and small chunks of polystyrene. Photo: CKC Media.
Above: Buried pieces of rope from oyster farming found deep in the wetland mud. Photo: CKC Media.
Above: Kayli Jones and Dean Henze remove polystyrene chunks covered in moss—a clear sign they’ve been sitting back there for some time. Photo: CKC Media.
Why This Matters
Polystyrene foam—once seen as a cheap and convenient solution for floating docks in aquaculture and beyond (shown right)—has become both environmentally damaging and economically unsustainable. A burrowing invasive isopod has sped up the deterioration of these floats: materials that once lasted 7–9 years now fall apart in just 1–2, and the cost of replacing them has nearly tripled.
In response, Oregon Oyster Farms is committing to phase out polystyrene in favor of more durable alternatives that won’t leach microplastics into the bay. It’s a smart decision for the farm, a major win for the estuary, and a promising step toward a cleaner, healthier future.
This kind of leadership could ripple far beyond Yaquina Bay. If new dock materials can be made affordable, environmentally friendly, and effective, it could set a powerful precedent for sustainability—not just in shellfish farming, but in waterfront communities across the country. Similar concerns about dock foam pollution have already sparked bipartisan support for removal in places like Lake Tahoe, Florida, Washington, and New York and more.
Above: Photos from a 2014 volunteer cleanup after a derelict dock structure fell apart in Coos Bay - a stark example of how polystyrene debris can wreak havoc on coastal communities. Photo: Charlie Plybon, Oregon Blog: Foam Debris Plagues Lighthouse Beach.
Community, Collaboration, and Oysters by the Dozen
After the cleanup, volunteers gathered at the park for a well-deserved social hour, sponsored by Pelican Brewing Company, featuring their Beach Beer and non-alcoholic Sparkle Hops. Once folks had a chance to relax and connect, Oregon Oyster Farms sent everyone home with a bag of oysters as a thank you for their time and effort. It was a great chance for neighbors, students, oyster farmers, and Surfrider members to spend time together and reflect on why this work matters.
We’re especially grateful to Oregon Oyster Farms for their partnership and their commitment to moving away from outdated materials. Cleanups like this take a lot of coordination—but the ultimate goal is to make aquaculture targeted cleanups obsolete.
Above: Special thanks to Pelican Brewing Company for sponsoring our social hour following the cleanup. Photo: CKC Media.
What's Next
Even as we celebrate these successes, we know that change doesn’t happen overnight. In the face of inconsistent enforcement despite state regulations around polystyrene encapsulation, we’ll continue to show up, support, and advocate. Whether it’s through cleanups (18,543 lbs of aquaculture debris removed so far), community organizing, or policy change—we're in it and you can follow along for updates at our Yaquina Bay Aquaculture Marine Debris Project website
Documentary in the Works
We’re also putting together a short documentary to capture the story behind this project and the progress we’re making by working with Xin Liu and Max Wiegardt at Oregon Oyster Farms. Stay tuned!
Above: Liu, Owner of Oregon Oyster Farms, and Max Wiegardt, manager, showing us how their operation works. Captured on camera by CKC Media.
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Thank you to everyone who came out, lent a hand, and shared in the mud, the mission, and the oysters. The Foam Fighters showed up strong—and we look forward to building on this momentum!
Above: Owner of Oregon Oyster Farms, Xin Liu, joins volunteers to remove debris from Half Way Park. Photo: CKC Media