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Papahānaumokuākea (pronounced Pa-pa-hah-now-mo-koo-ah-keh-ah) Marine National Monument (monument) is a vast, remote, and largely uninhabited region just northwest of the inhabited Hawaiian islands. The monument is home to thousands of marine species, including endangered Hawaiian monk seals and threatened green sea turtles. Despite being nearly untouched by humans, the monument is threatened by various issues, including marine debris, invasive algae, storms, and coral bleaching.
Marine debris poses significant, negative impacts on marine species and coral reefs within the monument. It can also threaten cultural and archaeological sites, including homes, religious sites, and other structures. Since the 1990s, NOAA and the Marine Debris Program have protected the monument from the threats of marine debris through dedicated removal missions.
Culture
In Hawaiian culture and tradition, names hold great significance and meaning. Names can be given to remember events or people or to tell stories. The name Papahānaumokuākea describes the union of two Hawaiian deities—Papahānaumoku and Wākea. These deities gave rise to the Hawaiian Archipelago and the Hawaiian people. Papahānaumoku was a mother figure personified by the earth, whereas Wākea was a father figure personified by the sky.
Papahānaumokuākea, as a place, is a physical ancestral connection to the gods for Kānaka Maoli (the Hawaiian people). According to Hawaiian oral traditions, as you travel into Papahānaumokuākea, you cross from Ao to Pō. Ao is a place of light and consciousness which is associated with the inhabited Main Hawaiian Islands. Pō is the divine source of creation, a primordial realm of darkness from which all life emerged and evolved, as well as the place where ancestral spirits go after death.
In the Kumulipo (Hawaiian Creation Chant), all life started in Papahānaumokuākea with a single coral polyp. That coral polyp gave rise to all life, including Kānaka Maoli. The Kumulipo tells the story of the connection between Kānaka Maoli and ‘āina (land). Culturally, it signifies that all creatures are the ancestors of Kānaka Maoli and are forever linked as ‘ohana (family). In Hawaiian culture, respecting one's elders and ancestors is of great importance. Many of the species that call the monument home are culturally significant and can be considered ‘aumakua, which is a family god or deified ancestor that manifests as an animal. This can include honu (Hawaiian green sea turtles), manō (sharks), ‘iwa birds (Great Frigate Birds), and many other species or objects such as plants or rocks. Because of this belief, there is a significant focus on mālama (to take care) of the land and sea, including the animals and plants.
The monument is one of only a few UNESCO World Heritage Sites that was designated for both its cultural and environmental significance. There are over 140 culturally significant sites, with a large number on Nihoa and Mokumanamana. Both of these islands also contain archaeological sites, including homes, religious sites, and other structures.
Learn more about the cultural significance of Papahānaumokuākea.
Ecology
Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument is home to one of the most pristine ecosystems in the world. The monument boasts 1,350 miles of uninterrupted natural habitat. Barely touched by humans, the monument is home to many threatened and endangered species, some of which are found nowhere else in the world. Fossil records show that many of the species found in the monument lived in the main Hawaiian islands before the arrival of humans. The remote nature of the islands gave refuge to those species that would not have survived otherwise.
An endemic species is a species that is only found in a specific geographic location and nowhere else in the world. The species must also be native to that location. A large number of the reef fish and corals found within the monument are endemic to Hawaiian waters. These endemic corals and reef fish provide the base of the food chain on which the rest of the monument species and habitats thrive. Additionally, at least 23 species in the monument are on the endangered species list.
The Hawaiian monk seal is one of the best-known endangered and endemic species that lives within the monument. In 2024, approximately 1,600 Hawaiian monk seals are left in the world, with about 1,200 living in the monument. Another lesser-known example of an endangered and endemic species is the Laysan Duck. The Laysan Duck was historically only found on Kamole (Laysan Island, Kauō). However, the species was recently successfully translocated to Kuaihelani (Midway Island, Pihemanu) and Hōlanikū (Kure Atoll, Moku Pāpapa). Due to intensive conservation efforts, the species now has an estimated 600 individuals. Other endangered species within the monument include the Hawksbill sea turtle and false killer whales.
Interested in learning more about the ecology of the monument? Learn more here.
The Threat of Marine Debris
Papahānaumokuākea is a sacred place that connects the Kānaka Maoli to their cultural heritage. It is uniquely untouched by humans and is one of the largest protected conservation areas in the world. The monument is enriched with endemic and endangered species native to the Hawaiian islands. However, the monument's remoteness does not prevent threats against the marine environment and its species. Marine debris is one of the biggest threats to the health of the monument. Removing this threat and preserving the sacred, pristine environment is crucial to the mission of the NOAA Marine Debris Program.
When marine debris drifts into the monument, it can impact the culturally significant species that live there and degrade the beauty and health of the space. Marine species can become entangled in derelict fishing gear, leading to injury or death. Nets and other debris can also smother or crush coral reef habitats and break off pieces of coral. When corals are snagged by nets, they can be torn from their holdfasts and benign floating with the net. Additionally, the net may cast a shadow over the corals, blocking sunlight that the organisms within the coral need for survival, which results in a process called coral bleaching. Animals, including corals, can also ingest small pieces of marine debris. When an animal swallows debris, it can block their stomach, puncture the inside of their bodies with sharp edges, and even create a false sense of being full. This can make the animal ill or cause it to starve. Removing marine debris from the monument is a critical piece of conserving these important species.
Papahānaumokuākea is unique for so many reasons. It is a place where culture and nature are one. What impacts the natural environment also impacts the cultural significance and historical context of the place. When marine debris enters the monument, it affects the health and beauty of this sacred place, and we all have to do what we can to help.
Over the past three decades, a total of 1,316 metric tons of marine debris has been removed through NOAA and NOAA-funded missions. The NOAA Marine Debris Program has been involved since its establishment in 2006. NOAA Marine Debris Program now supports these efforts through Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and Papahānaumokuākea Marine Debris Project. The importance of the monument, both culturally and ecologically, makes its preservation a top priority not only for the NOAA Marine Debris Program but for so many others, including the NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument, Papahānaumokuākea Marine Debris Project, and State of Hawai‘i.
In order to tackle the massive issue of marine debris within the monument, everyone will need to work together to keep Papahānaumokuākea free from the dangers of marine debris. Our work to mālama Papahānaumokuākea isn’t finished!