The Australian Marine Debris Initiative (AMDI), led by Tangaroa Blue Foundation, is a national network of communities, schools, organisations, and individuals working to reduce marine debris. It empowers volunteers to record, remove, and prevent litter entering oceans and waterways.

Central to the initiative is the AMDI Database, a free, open-source tool that standardises data from beach, river, reef, and shoreline clean-ups. Volunteers log debris—from plastic bottles and fishing gear to microplastics—creating one of Australia’s most comprehensive datasets on marine litter. This data provides vital insight into the sources, distribution, and impacts of pollution nationwide.

The AMDI App makes participation easy for sailors, community groups, and individuals, allowing them to submit findings from any coastal location. Data collected helps track pollution trends, identify hotspots, and inform upstream solutions. By sharing results with governments, industries, and communities, AMDI transforms citizen science into real-world action, guiding policies, changing practices, and inspiring behaviour that protects Australia’s oceans.