Huge Amount Of Marine Garbage Removed From Papahanaumokuakea
A nonprofit organization hauled away mountains of ghosts nets, buoys, floats and plastics from an atoll in marine national monument and plans more cleanup this year.
A major trash cleanup by a nonprofit organization has concluded at Kuaihelani, also known as Midway Atoll, located in a marine national monument that is home to hundreds of endangered Hawaiian monk seals and 14 million seabirds representing 22 species.
Some 70,080 pounds of marine debris were hauled away and nearly 11 miles of shoreline cleaned up at Kuaihelani, located within Papah膩naumoku膩kea Marine National Monument in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, according to a news release from Papah膩naumoku膩kea Marine Debris Project.
Some 35,100 pounds of derelict fishing nets, also known as ghost nets, were among the debris. Nearly 33,000 pounds of other marine garbage, such as buoys and floats, were also removed.
Twelve people from a Hawaii-based nonprofit organization, were involved in the 19-day cleanup, the first of three that the group plans to conduct this year. Over the past four years, PMDP has removed over 785,000 pounds of marine debris from the islands and atolls within the national monument. They aim to remove an additional 215,000 pounds later this year.
The crew focused its efforts on removing 鈥渆ntanglement and ingestion hazards鈥 to wildlife from the shorelines of Eastern, Spit, and Sand Islands within Kuaihelani.
鈥淧MDP came to Kuaihelani with the goal of removing 35,000 pounds of marine debris to preemptively protect the wildlife, and I鈥檓 proud to say we more than doubled our goal,鈥 said Sydney Luitgaarden, operations lead with PMDP.
The atoll hosts more than 70 endangered Hawaiian monk seals. It also provides nesting habitat for the world鈥檚 largest colony of m艒l墨, or Laysan Albatross, and nearly two million birds of 19 different species, including the world鈥檚 most endangered duck, the Laysan duck, according to the nonprofit.
The helps sponsor the debris cleanup work.
“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 Papah膩naumoku膩kea Marine Debris Project,鈥 said director Nancy Wallace.
Gov. Josh Green said in the news release that when then-First Lady Laura Bush dedicated the Papah膩naumoku膩kea Marine National Monument,聽it filled him with hope for the preservation of the 7,000 marine species there, 25% of them, endemic to the Hawaiian islands.
Papah膩naumoku膩kea is cooperatively managed by the Department of Commerce, Department of the Interior, State of Hawaii and the Office of Hawaiian Affairs. In July 2010, Papah膩naumoku膩kea Marine National Monument was designated as the first mixed UNESCO World Heritage Site in the United States, noted for its natural and cultural significance.
