Marine debris team completes latest Papahanaumokuakea cleanup mission

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – A marine debris cleanup crew has returned to Honolulu after another mission to protect the fragile ecosystems of Papahanaumokuakea.

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The Papahanaumokuakea Marine Debris Project completed its second mission of 2026 on Friday after a 21-day expedition to the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands.

The team removed 48,680 pounds of ghost nets and other plastic marine debris from Lalo, Kamokuokamohoaliʻi, Kamole and Kapou.

The mission was temporarily paused Aug. 19 as Hurricane Lala moved through the region.

After the storm passed, crews returned to Kamole to assess damage and reported stripped vegetation, displaced seabird chicks and numerous Hawaiian monk seals resting on the beach.

“Ultimately, we are proud of our accomplishments,” said PMDP Executive Director James Morioka. “We removed over 48,000 pounds in nine operational days.”

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Papahanaumokuakea spans nearly 600,000 square miles and is home to thousands of species, including endangered Hawaiian monk seals and nesting green sea turtles.

“We have to keep up with this accumulation of marine debris, even though it seems like a treadmill,” said PMDP President & crew member, Kevin O’ Brien. “If we stop running on this treadmill, then unfortunately the wildlife and the habitats here in Hawaii and Papahanaumokuakea will suffer”.

Officials estimate about 200,000 pounds of new marine debris accumulates in the area each year, much of it abandoned or lost fishing gear.

Since 2020, PMDP says it has removed more than 1.3 million pounds of marine debris from the region.

The crew is expected to return in mid-September for its third and final mission of 2026.

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