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I found a GPS buoy, what should I do next?

If you think it's marine debris, collect it and consider donating it to Project ReCon.

  1. Determine whether the buoy is already part of Project ReCon.

    Project ReCon trackers are not left in the environment long-term; they are only temporarily attached to ghost gear and are removed when the gear is recovered.

  2. All Project ReCon buoys are identifiable by an attached AMDI tag. If the buoy you have found has an AMDI tag, please leave it in place unless you are able to safely retrieve both the buoy and the ghost gear it is attached to.

  3. If the buoy does not have an AMDI tag, it may be marine debris. In this case, consider collecting and donating it to Project ReCon. Take photographs, record the date and location, and note whether it was found with a net or other debris. Send this information to projectrecon@tangaroablue.org and our team will assist. 

Once recovered, the buoy will undergo structural and satellite testing to determine whether it can be repurposed for Project ReCon!