Papahanaumokuakea debris crews wrap 5-year cleanup effort

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – After five years and more than 1.3 million pounds of nets and plastics removed from fragile reefs, the Papahānaumokuākea Marine Debris Project has wrapped up its latest cleanup initiative.

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The group returned to Honolulu Oct. 8 after completing its 2026 field season and closing out its five-year “Catch Up and Keep Up” initiative.

Founded in 2019, the project launched its first mission in 2020. The initiative began in 2022 to address a decades-long backlog of marine debris while keeping pace with new debris accumulating each year.

More than 1 million pounds were removed during the five-year initiative, organizers said.

147,000 pounds removed in 2026

This year alone, crews completed three expeditions totaling 65 days at sea and removed more than 147,000 pounds of debris.

The final expedition left Honolulu Sept. 14 and removed 47,000 pounds, including nearly 29,000 pounds of derelict nets from reefs, more than 15,000 pounds of nets from shorelines and nearly 3,000 pounds of shoreline plastics.

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Crews also rescued five green sea turtles from entanglements during the trip.

Operations ended one day early as Hurricane Nolo moved through Papahānaumokuākea.

Since 2020, the project said crews have rescued three Hawaiian monk seals, 20 green sea turtles and other wildlife from entanglements.

First live broadcast, what’s next

The project also hosted its first live virtual broadcast from Manawai in September, connecting more than 300 participants, primarily Hawaiʻi students, with crews working nearly 1,200 miles from Honolulu.

“We had the first ever live stream from a remote coral reef in Papahānaumokuākea,” Executive Director James Morioka said.

With the five-year initiative complete, the group said it is seeking new funding and partnerships to continue large-scale debris removal.

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The project is also offering paid opportunities beginning in January 2027.

To learn more about PMDP’s work or sign up for updates, visit its website.