Papahānaumokuākea cleanup removes 47,000 pounds of marine debris

PAPAHĀNAUMOKUĀKEA (HawaiiNewsNow) – Crews removed 47,000 pounds of marine debris from Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument during the group’s third and final mission.

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More than half of the debris was derelict fishing nets tangled in coral reefs. Crews also collected nearly 3,000 pounds of plastic from shorelines and rescued five green sea turtles entangled in nets.

Now back on Oahu, crews will sort, recycle and incinerate the collected debris.

The final expedition departed Honolulu on Sept. 14. The crew conducted cleanup operations at Kamole, Kapou, Manawai and Hōlanikū, removing the following:

Derelict fishing nets and other marine debris can damage coral habitat and entangle threatened and endangered wildlife.

During the expedition, the field team rescued five green sea turtles that had become entangled in debris and safely freed them.

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The completion of the Catch-up and Keep-up Initiative marks a major milestone for the project.

The future of PMDP

Since 2020, Papahānaumokuākea Marine Debris Project (PMDP) crews have removed more than 1.3 million pounds of debris and rescued three Hawaiian monk seals, 20 green sea turtles, and numerous seabirds and other marine wildlife from entanglements.

With the five-year initiative complete, the nonprofit plans to shift its focus from clearing a decades-old backlog to removing new debris that washes onto the remote islands and reefs throughout the year.

PMDP is seeking funding and partnerships to continue large-scale cleanup work and prevent debris from accumulating in ecologically important areas.

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