HUMANITY IS UNITED BY THE OCEAN

Good Ocean Stewards 

The mission of the Honolulu-based nonprofit organization, Papahānaumokuākea Marine Debris Project (PMDP) is to mitigate the risks posed by marine debris, particularly entanglement hazards such as derelict fishing nets and plastic garbage, to the critically endangered Hawaiian monk seal, the threatened Hawaiian green sea turtle, the threatened humpback whale, protected seabirds, and the delicate coral reef ecosystems. Each 30-day PMDP expedition strives to eliminate 115,000 pounds of marine debris (equivalent to 52 metric tons) and restore 1,000 acres of coral reef habitat. All participating field staff are PMDP employees contracted through IBSS – International Business Sales and Services Corporation. 

The PMDP journeys split into two missions with the first summer expedition running from July 6 to August 3, 2023. The team was focused on the overall mission but driven by their deep respect for the ʻaina, land, and the knowledge of their revered role as good stewards of this sacred place. At the beginning of the voyage, the team prepared for the ship crossing by making ho’okupu (traditional offerings/ti leaf lei) and practicing Native Hawaiian chants called ‘oli. The Native Hawaiians believe that during this journey, they will cross from the Ao (the realm of the living) to Pō (the realm of the spirits) as they cross the Tropic of Cancer, the Ke Ala Polohiwa a Kāne. They ask for permission to enter Pō while remembering a Hawaiian proverb: “HE ALIʻI KA ʻĀINA, HE KAUWĀ KE KANAKA.” The land is a chief; man is its servant. Once the blessings and crossing are underway, the hard work begins. The first voyage wrapped up after 21 operating days with 86,100 pounds (43 tons) removed from this revered cluster of islands in the middle of the ocean. 

The second and most recent tour returned from a 28-day expedition to the remote Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument on September 23, 2023. During this 16 operating day mission, they successfully removed a record-breaking 126,310 pounds (63 tons) of marine debris from the islands and atolls within the monument.

In the last 7 days of the second mission, the team achieved an incredible feat by eliminating 71,760 pounds of derelict fishing nets from the reefs, averaging over 10,000 pounds daily. This demanding task involved divers meticulously locating each pound of the net, delicately disentangling it from the reef, and manually loading it onto the boats

During the same week, the team also encountered a heartwarming yet challenging scenario: seven live green sea turtles entangled in ghost nets, including three adult turtles trapped in a single net. Thankfully, the team successfully rescued and freed all seven of these magnificent sea turtles while serving as a somber reminder of their journey’s purpose. The key takeaway is that if they see that kind of scale of entanglements in just a few days, the horrific thought is imagining the number and scale at which this occurs on all the other days of the year.

This year, unusual additions to the removal list required three light-duty salvage operations. The team also successfully extracted a derelict boat hull measuring 21 feet in length and two discarded buoys that were causing harm to the coral reefs. These significantly oversized, heavier items, often originating from other parts of the Pacific, can inflict substantial damage. As they drift in from the open ocean, they act like battering rams, breaking through delicate coral reefs. Furthermore, the potential for these items to continue causing long-term coral destruction arises when storms or high tides remobilize them, keeping them in motion.

From July 6 to September 23, the 2023 PMDP team spent a total of 60 days at sea, at six locations, with 16 trained freedivers/coxswains, removing a total of 212,410 pounds (106 tons) of marine debris, and rescued eight endangered Hawaiian green sea turtles. The record-setting last days of the second mission set down a gauntlet for future missions to strive to achieve the sheer volume of tonnage removed and the emancipation of endangered wildlife. IBSS will remember 2023 as the year the PMDP team made the ʻaina proud. Mahalo nui loa Team 2023 PMDP!

Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument Fun Facts:

• PMNM is home to thousands of wildlife species, many of which are endangered.
• Twenty-five percent of marine species found in PMNM are found only in the Hawaiian archipelago.
• PMNM contains 3.5 million acres of coral reefs, which is more than 70% of all tropical, shallow-water coral reefs in what is now known as the United States.
• Fourteen million seabirds representing 22 species reside in PMNM.
• The uninhabited islands, atolls, and seamounts of PMNM stretch over 1,200 miles to the northwest of the main Hawaiian Islands and comprise nearly 75% of the length of the Hawaiian archipelago.

PMDP continues to make an extraordinary impact on protecting our oceans and preserving the unique environment of the PMNM. To support their future efforts or learn more about the project, visit their website at www.pmdphawaii.org and follow them on Instagram, Facebook, and X (Twitter) @pmdphawaii.

Photo credit: Andrew Sullivan-Haskins