We produce trash as a part of everyday life. But discarded items can travel through storm drains, streams, and rivers, or be blown by wind to end up in the ocean.
Every year, roughly 50 tons of marine debris ends up in Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument, located in the remote and mostly uninhabited Northwestern Hawaiian Islands.
Because of the monument’s location in relation to the North Pacific Gyre and ocean currents, everything from derelict fishing nets to discarded toothbrushes wind up in the islands within this marine protected area.
Fortunately, each year, multiple NOAA offices collaborate to support a marine debris removal effort in the monument. This year, the team is spending a month removing debris – and we’re so glad they’re there. In previous years, they’ve removed tons of fishing nets…
and even freed entangled animals like this green sea turtle.
These efforts are sorely needed, but they don’t fix the problem: we’re simply putting too much trash into the ocean.
So that’s where you come in! By reducing the amount of trash you produce and always disposing of waste properly, you can help protect these fragile ecosystems and the animals that call them home. You can also help by participating in a debris cleanup near you!
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