# Marine Debris Tracker

> Citizen science app for tracking and reporting marine and inland debris. (iPhone/iPad app by Kyle Johnsen.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/marine-debris-tracker/id432758761 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Kyle Johnsen](https://appshunter.io/developer/1021572657)
- Category: Productivity, Education
- Price: Free
- Rating: 5.00/5 from 1 App Store ratings · 18 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 12.4 · 29 MB
- Languages: American English
- Released: 2011-04-22
- Data updated: 2026-06-01
- Monetization: free
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/marine-debris-tracker/id432758761/reviews.md

## What is Marine Debris Tracker?

Debris Tracker is an open data citizen science movement, powered by Morgan Stanley. Join us in creating a bigger picture of the plastic pollution crisis by using the app to report litter wherever you find it, from our oceans to your backyard. Every day, dedicated educational, non-profit, and scientific organizations and passionate citizen scientists from all around the world use the Debris Tracker app to record GPS data on inland and marine debris. To date, Debris Tracker users have contributed 2 million items to our open-data platform, hosted at the University of Georgia and accessible to researchers and curious citizens everywhere. Together we can create a more comprehensive understanding of marine debris and plastic pollution by collecting and sharing data, generating scientific findings, informing policy, and inspiring upstream solutions.

See our website for more information on how to get started or to download data: http://www.marinedebris.engr.uga.edu/. Debris Tracker is a joint effort of the NOAA Marine Debris Program and the Southeast Atlantic Marine Debris Initiative (SEA-MDI) out of the University of Georgia College of Engineering. Continued use of GPS in the background can dramatically decrease battery life.

## Key features

- Report litter and debris
- Contribute to citizen science
- Track inland and marine pollution
- Access open-data platform
- Generate scientific findings
- Inform policy decisions

## Recent user reviews (10 of 18)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/marine-debris-tracker/id432758761/reviews.md

### 1/5 — Disappointing Waste of Time

*2024-04-28*

Shame on National Geographic for not improving this poorly produced app. Do you want to stand on the beach waiting over 5 minutes for this app to finish “fetching” and “loading” each time you want to use it? I was able to walk home after attempting to document some plastic trash and it has yet to open, hence this disparaging review. Sadly, deleting this nonfunctional app will be my next action.

### 5/5 — Roses are free

*2023-03-18*

I threw soap at my bathroom wall to see what would happen and I lost it Still don’t know where it is

### 1/5 — Inconsistent

*2023-02-15*

Some days, the app opens within a few seconds, other days the app will keep saying “fetching data” forever and never open. I use this app for class assignments and  the inconsistency it stressful.

### 5/5 — One of a kind!

*2022-06-13*

Marine Debris Tracker comes with a handful of bugs but when it works it’s perfect for everything my friends have been looking for!

### 1/5 — Plastic not bad.

*2022-06-06, version 5.5.4*

The plastic is not baddie.

### 1/5 — Can’t set up account

*2022-06-01, version 5.5.4*

Tried to create an account. I get “error” when I try but it doesn’t tell you why or what to do about it so I can’t correct the error now, can I?

### 1/5 — Garbo

*2022-05-18, version 5.5.4*

I can not message and talk to my kittens and in order to use the app u have to go outside and actually breath air and if I do that’s less time to talk to my kittens I rate this a one star

### 1/5 — Bad

*2022-05-18, version 5.5.4*

Terrible

### 1/5 — This app

*2022-05-18, version 5.5.4*

This app is dog water

### 1/5 — Version 5.2 is a waste of time

*2021-05-31, version 5.2.0*

Prior to the new version, the app worked well. It was a bit time consuming scrolling to find the correct items, but it’s was quick to upload items. The new version won’t allow users to use the key pad for the amount of item. If I pickup 60 cigarette butts I now have to tap the 1 number 60 times. I often am interrupted with the count when the system stall to locate GPS. Be prepared to wait 10 -15 seconds and the resume uploading the counted  umber of item. This occurs for each item. In total, I waited just over 2 minutes to upload on each of my five garbage can stops during my last walk. Unfortunately, This is no longer a user friendly app and is now a waste of time. I  used the previous version for about a year, but I won’t use it again until the developer redesigns it

## Frequently asked questions about Marine Debris Tracker

### What is Marine Debris Tracker used for?

Marine Debris Tracker is used to report litter and plastic pollution found in both inland and marine environments. This data contributes to a global citizen science movement aimed at understanding and addressing pollution.

### Is Marine Debris Tracker free to use?

Yes, Marine Debris Tracker is completely free to download and use. There are no in-app purchases or subscription fees associated with its use.

### What devices does Marine Debris Tracker support?

Marine Debris Tracker is available for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch devices. It is designed to be accessible on Apple's mobile operating systems.

### How often is Marine Debris Tracker updated?

The latest version of Marine Debris Tracker is 6.3.2, last updated on January 15, 2026. This indicates a commitment to ongoing development and improvements.

### What is the age rating for Marine Debris Tracker?

Marine Debris Tracker has an age rating of 4+, making it suitable for users of all ages. This suggests content is appropriate for young children and adults alike.

### Does Marine Debris Tracker have ads?

No, Marine Debris Tracker does not contain advertisements. Users can engage with the app without interruptions from promotional content.

### Where can I find more information about Marine Debris Tracker?

More information about Marine Debris Tracker, including how to get started and download data, can be found on its official website: http://www.marinedebris.engr.uga.edu/.

### What is the user sentiment for Marine Debris Tracker?

Based on the available data, Marine Debris Tracker has a perfect rating of 5.0 stars from 1 rating, indicating highly positive user sentiment.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 6.3.2 — 2026-01-15

Updated survey functionality 

New features

### 6.3.1 — 2025-08-12

- Bug fixes for surveys
- new features

### 6.3.0 — 2025-07-10

Bug fixes to the upload functionality and user sessions.

### 6.2.3 — 2025-05-13

- Bug Fixes 
- MDMAP Implementation

### 6.1.6 — 2024-07-08

What's New:

- Upload More Images: Now you can upload 5 images to enhance your data.
- Faster Loading Times: Enjoy faster loading times with our latest optimizations.
- Required Survey Questions: All mandatory survey questions are now required for completion.
- Bug Fixes: Various small bugs have been addressed for improved performance.

Update now to enjoy these new features and improvements!

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## More apps by Kyle Johnsen

- [Shrimp Black Gill Tracker](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shrimp-black-gill-tracker/id1128441608)

All apps by Kyle Johnsen: https://appshunter.io/developer/1021572657

## Related topics

[marine debris tracker](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/marine-debris-tracker) · [debris tracker](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/debris-tracker) · [marine environmental sciences consortium](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/marine-environmental-sciences-consortium) · [marine conservation science institute mcsi](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/marine-conservation-science-institute-mcsi) · [detritus](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/detritus) · [marine debris detect](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/marine-debris-detect) · [lowcountry marine mammal network](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/lowcountry-marine-mammal-network)

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-06-01.*
