HONOLULU (KHON2) -- Our beaches are becoming more and more littered with rubbish that has been discarded into the Pacific Ocean. At some point, humans decided that dumping trash into the oceans was a consequence free choice. But they were sorely mistaken.
A team of twelve from the Papahānaumokuākea Marine Debris Project (PMDP), a non-profit based in Hawaiʻi, returned to Honolulu after completing their first of three planned marine debris cleanups for 2024.
During a 19-day mission from April 15 to May 3, they removed 70,080 pounds of marine debris and cleaned 10.7 miles (130 acres) of shoreline at Kuaihelani (Midway Atoll) in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands within the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument (PMNM).
The cleanup targeted entanglement and ingestion hazards for wildlife on Eastern, Spit and Sand Islands within Kuaihelani.
The atoll, home to over 70 endangered Hawaiian monk seals and the world’s largest colony of mōlī (Laysan Albatross), also hosts nearly two million birds from 19 species, including the critically endangered Laysan duck.
Sydney Luitgaarden of PMDP noted, “PMDP came to Kuaihelani with the goal of removing 35,000 pounds of marine debris to preemptively protect the wildlife, and I’m proud to say we more than doubled our goal.”
United States Senator Brian Schatz praised the effort. He stated, “Thanks to the great work of PMDP, more than 70,000 pounds of debris has been removed from Papahānaumokuākea, allowing us to protect endangered wildlife, sustain coral reefs, and explore new ways to conserve the marine monument going forward.”
Breakdown of the 70,080 Pounds of Marine Debris Removed:
- Derelict fishing nets (ghost nets): 35,100 pounds.
- Other plastic marine debris (including derelict fishing gear such as buoys and floats): 32,930 pounds.
- Abandoned derelict vessels: 2,050 pounds.
Marc and Lynne Benioff, private matching donors, expressed their gratitude. They had this to say about the cleanup: “We are so grateful to PMDP and their partners for this latest success in removing plastic pollution and other marine debris that threaten our ecosystems and ocean health, and for all they do to protect this place that is sacred to Hawai'i.”
The mission was supported by the U.. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS).
Elaine Johnson, USFWS Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge Manager, commented, “The blitz-style work achieved by PMDP was amazing to behold. The Fish and Wildlife Service is proud to partner with PMDP once again to keep Kuaihelani safe for the wildlife that depend on this atoll year-round.”
Nancy Wallace, Director of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Marine Debris Program, added, "The NOAA Marine Debris Program has been a proud supporter of marine debris removal efforts in the Monument since 2006. We are pleased to continue NOAA's legacy in this culturally and ecologically significant place, and support the efforts of the Papahānaumokuākea Marine Debris Project."
PMDP expressed gratitude to major funding partners, including the NOAA Marine Debris Program, which supports this work through a 5-year grant to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, using $5.8M in funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
This is matched by Marc and Lynne Benioff for a total investment of $12M over FY22-FY26. Additional funding comes from the NOAA Damage Assessment, Remediation and Restoration Program and the M/V Casitas Trustee Council, along with support from various other donors and organizations.
Hawai‘i Governor Josh Green, M.D., remarked, "Climate change is upon us, and the hard work being done by the NOAA Marine Debris Program has been necessitated by human impacts on our oceans. The State of Hawai‘i is a co-manager of the Monument, including management of the Kure Atoll State Wildlife Sanctuary on Kure, which is the northernmost island in Papahānaumokuākea. Hawai‘i is so fortunate to have benefactors like Marc and Lynne Benioff to help remove the debris that endangers our already endangered species."
Over the past four years, PMDP has removed over 785,000 pounds of marine debris from the remote islands and atolls within PMNM. They aim to remove an additional 215,000 pounds during two 30-day, ship-based cleanup missions scheduled for August through October 2024.