A Day in the Life of a Marine Debris Technician in Papahānaumokuākea madison.piascik Wed, 04/22/2026 - 16:31

With support from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, NOAA Marine Debris Program, private donors, and small grant foundations, the Papahānaumokuākea Marine Debris Project (PMDP) continues the legacy large-scale marine debris removal efforts to protect the wildlife and habitats of Papahānaumokuākea. We interviewed PMDP Field Logistics Specialist Lauren Fraser and Lead Marine Debris Technician Max Lee to learn more about their unique and important work. They shared insights on the challenges of removing nets underwater, the protocols and considerations that guide their work in such a culturally significant space, and all of the late-night work that goes into making these missions a success. 

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Tags removal Pacific Islands derelict fishing gear Large Scale Marine Debris Removal NWHI

Mission Accomplished: Cleaning Kuaihelani’s Shorelines emily.greene Thu, 05/23/2024 - 22:23

This month, the Papahānaumokuākea Marine Debris Project completed their first mission of 2024 to the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument (monument). This 19 day mission was focused on removing derelict fishing gear and consumer plastics from just the shorelines of Kuaihelani (Pihemanu, Midway Atoll). The team surpassed their original goal of 35,000 pounds and removed 70,080 pounds of marine debris. Learn more about the team's time on Kuaihelani! 

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Tags Pacific Islands removal derelict fishing gear NWHI

Kuaihelani: Taking a Closer Look at Marine Debris within the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument emily.greene Tue, 04/16/2024 - 19:36

Kuaihelani, meaning “the backbone of heaven,” describes a mythical floating island in the sky, possibly originating from the large lagoons that reflect the sky. This atoll is a Wildlife Refuge and part of the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument. The monument is the only UNESCO World Heritage Site in the world to be classified for its cultural and ecological importance. Still, it’s also impacted by the large fishing nets, plastics, and other debris that wash up on its shores. This debris can significantly impact the atoll's wildlife and habitats, and its removal is a critical part of protecting the health and cultural heritage of this area.

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Tags removal NWHI

A Mission to Mālama Through Marine Debris Removal Shanelle.Naone Fri, 09/24/2021 - 15:30

Wednesday, September 22 marked the completion of the marine debris removal mission in the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument. The marine debris removal team arrived at Pearl Harbor aboard the charter vessel IMUA along with the nearly 124,000 pounds of marine debris they removed during their 30-day mission. Marine debris removal is of critical importance to both the natural and cultural components of the monument. The NOAA Marine Debris Program is pleased to have partnered in this collaborative undertaking. 

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Tags NWHI removal Pacific Islands

Derelict Nets and Ghost Fishing: A Haunting Problem in the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument Shanelle.Naone Wed, 09/15/2021 - 11:00

The delicate and extraordinary environment of the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument (monument) receives an estimated 52 metric tons of derelict fishing gear every year from commercial fisheries all over the Pacific. Derelict fishing gear refers to nets, lines, pots, traps, and other fishing equipment that has been lost, abandoned, or discarded in the marine environment. Most modern fishing gear is made of long-lasting and/or synthetic materials, such as plastic and metal, that can remain in the environment for many years. Derelict nets and ghost fishing are a haunting problem in the monument, and their removal is an important part of protecting and preserving the unique native ecosystem of Papahānaumokuākea.

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Tags Pacific Islands removal NWHI derelict fishing gear

Marine Debris Removal Mission Begins in the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument Shanelle.Naone Tue, 08/24/2021 - 01:38

The Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument is integral to Native Hawaiian culture and is a sacred landscape. Unfortunately, marine debris has and continues to pose a significant threat to its natural and cultural resources. We are pleased to support the NOAA Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center’s Marine Debris Project team as they launch a 30-day mission in the monument with support from the non-profit Papahānaumokuākea Marine Debris Project.

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Tags Pacific Islands removal NWHI

Marine Debris Team Takes on Tons alexis.thorbecke Fri, 11/09/2018 - 09:38

How do you pull an entire space shuttle’s weight in marine debris out of one of the most remote parts of the ocean? The answer is teamwork. Last week, on October 29th, a mission ended to remove debris, mostly lost fishing nets, from the uninhabited Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. These lost nets are a huge entanglement risk to marine life and damage critical habitat. The three part mission involved two ships, five NOAA offices, and many more! Learn more about their journey and how they worked together to remove over 82 tons of debris from the these culturally and ecologically significant islands. 

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Tags Pacific Islands NWHI

Clean Beaches for All Shanelle.Naone Fri, 06/29/2018 - 16:48

As much as we enjoy beaches for swimming, picnics, and fun in the sun, they are also home to diverse marine and land animals. The Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument, is the largest fully protected marine conservation area on the planet. Its shores and land provide an important habitat to many unique animals. The Monument is home to a total of 23 species that are listed under the U.S. Endangered Species Act, including the threatened Hawaiian Green Sea Turtle, endangered Hawaiian monk seal, and the critically endangered Laysan Duck.

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Tags NWHI removal

Marine Debris Removal in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands: A Look Back krista.e.stegemann Thu, 06/23/2016 - 11:01

Over the years of the NOAA Marine Debris Program, there have been many efforts around the country to rid our waters and shores of marine debris. As part of our ten-year anniversary celebration, let’s take a look back at one of those efforts in our Pacific Islands region.

The Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (NWHI) are beautiful. Home to many amazing animals and clear, turquoise blue water, they are located far from large human populations. However, despite their distance from people, they are still inundated with marine debris that washes up from faraway places. To combat this debris and preserve this paradise, multiple NOAA offices have collaborated on a yearly removal mission to clean debris from the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument and the shores of the NWHI since 1996. The NOAA Marine Debris Program has been involved in this effort since the establishment of our program—that’s ten years of some pretty impressive NWHI removal! 

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Tags Pacific Islands NWHI removal MarineDebris10YR

Another Successful Removal Mission in the NWHI Wraps Up krista.e.stegemann Fri, 05/20/2016 - 11:30

The 2016 Northwestern Hawaiian Islands marine debris removal mission came to a close last Friday, May 13, successfully hauling in 12 tons of debris from Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument. A marine debris team of 10 NOAA scientists was part of the removal effort that spanned 32 days cleaning Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge, Pearl and Hermes Atoll, Kure Atoll State Wildlife Sanctuary, Lisianski Island, and the French Frigate Shoals.

The annual removal mission, which began in 1996, has removed a total of 935 tons of marine debris to date including the 12 tons of marine debris from this year’s mission. The NOAA Marine Debris Program has supported this yearly effort since the program’s inception in 2006. As the program celebrates its 10th anniversary this year, it also marks ten years of funding this removal effort in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. 

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Tags NWHI Pacific Islands removal

Take Only Debris, Leave Only Footprints krista.e.stegemann Wed, 05/18/2016 - 13:47

By: Liat Portner, Amanda Dillon, and Kristen Kelly, Guest Bloggers and Scientists with the NOAA Coral Reef Ecosystem Program

The NOAA Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC) Coral Reef Ecosystem Program’s (CREP) removal mission in the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands is completed! For more on this effort, check us out on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, and take a look at CREP’s interactive daily map for details on daily activities.

Our team of ten embarked on the NOAA ship Hiʻialakai to begin our journey down the Northwestern Hawaiian Island chain. We began with the oldest and most northwestern of the Hawaiian Archipelago, Kure Atoll.

Landing on the shores of Kure, our team was greeted by the State of Hawaii’s Department of Land and Natural Resources field crew, who remove debris throughout their field season.

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Tags NWHI Pacific Islands removal

Debris Removal at Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge: Midway Through the Mission krista.e.stegemann Fri, 05/06/2016 - 12:04

By: Ryan Tabata and Rhonda Suka, Guest Bloggers and Scientists with the NOAA Coral Reef Ecosystem Program

 The NOAA Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC) Coral Reef Ecosystem Program’s (CREP) removal mission in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands is already half way through! The removal team has finished its work at Midway Atoll and is headed to Kure Atoll for the next phase of the effort. Check us out on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for daily updates on this effort, as well as CREP’s interactive daily map.

We were greeted by Bonin Petrels flying in the night like shooting stars and were shuttled in stretch limo golf carts to our rooms. The following morning, a brilliant orange sunrise unveiled all that is Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge. 

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Tags NWHI Pacific Islands removal