Removal of Derelict Fishing Gear Continues in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands
The NOAA Ship Oscar Elton Sette is on a 25-day mission to the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (NWHI) to survey and remove derelict fishing gear and other marine debris in shallow coral reef habitat of the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument. This is the second leg of a marine debris clean-up expedition begun in early September by the NOAA Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center's Coral Reef Ecosystem Division (CRED). The 30-day first leg of the cruise resulted in removal of 36,394 kg (80,249 lbs) of derelict fishing gear.
A crew of 17 scientists from CRED with specialized dive training will survey and remove debris at Maro Reef and Pearl and Hermes Atoll, focusing on areas known to have high densities of derelict fishing gear. Debris removal operations will also be conducted along the shorelines at French Frigate Shoals to reduce entanglement hazard for endangered Hawaiian monk seals and other wildlife that occupy these habitats.
In addition to the marine debris survey and removal operations the scientists will conduct Conductivity-Temperature-Depth (CTD) casts and water sampling at permanent CTD stations located along the Sette's cruise track.
During the cruise the Sette will opportunistically deploy two High-Frequency Autonomous Acoustic Recording Packages (HARPS) between the islands of Kauai and Niihau, and another HARP at 40 Fathom Shoal southeast of Pearl and Hermes Atoll. The HARPS will collect broadband acoustic data including vocalizations from marine mammals in the area.
Oceanographic instruments located at French Frigate Shoals and Pearl and Hermes Atoll, including sub-surface temperature recorders, ecological acoustic recorders, and sea surface temperature buoys will be inspected and replaced, or new ones will be deployed.
