About the Program
Marine Debris Location and Removal in the Main Hawaiian Islands and Vicinity
Marine debris continues to present a hazard to marine life and habitat as well as to safe navigation in the main Hawaiian Islands (MHI). As recently as November 2004, a three-ton mass of derelict fishing gear was found in Kaneohe Bay, O‘ahu, and an emergency team consisting of federal, state, local, and non-governmental organization partners was assembled to dismantle and dispose of the debris. Additional small-scale removal efforts take place on each of the islands on an as-needed basis.
The NOAA Marine Debris Program (MDP) is working in conjunction with the NOAA Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC) on a project to survey and remove marine debris around the main islands of Hawai‘i. This project is the first comprehensive effort to determine the distribution and abundance of marine debris in the main Hawaiian Islands, about which relatively little is known.
Location
Trained personnel from NOAA PIFSC have completed helicopter aerial surveys of over 700km of shoreline to spot marine debris around the coastlines of Kaua‘i, Oah‘u, Maui, Moloka‘i, Lana‘i, and the Big Island of Hawai‘i. Over the course of 13 days (50 flight hours) between February and May 2006, they obtained GPS data, photos, and other information that have been used to map the distribution and abundance of the debris located.
Removal
The surveys of Kaua‘i, Moloka‘i, Lana‘i, Maui, O‘ahu and the Big Island of Hawai‘i are now complete. With over 700 debris sites reported, comprising an estimated 129 tons (258,000 pounds), the marine debris problem has proven to be greater than expected. A cleanup of O‘ahu removed over 16 tons of nets and other debris; cleanups of the other islands will be undertaken by NOAA, the state, and community partners.
A further goal of this project is to assist federal, state, and local coastal managers, along with local communities, in identifying and prioritizing cleanup areas and targeting specific sites for future monitoring.
View photos of the Main Hawaiian Islands project.
View maps of debris sites noted in this project.
This program is funded through NOAA's Ocean Service, Office of Response & Restoration, Marine Debris Program.
