Report Marine Debris on New State Hotline

The battle against marine debris has become a statewide concerted effort with a new hotline now available to Hawai‘i residents who can report derelict fishing gear, like nets, responsible for entangling marine life like turtles and humpback whales.

The idea behind the hotline is to have people call in hazardous nets immediately, said Kristen Kelly with the DLNR Division of Aquatic Resources (DAR) Protected Species Program. The hotline is a collaboration between DAR and Sustainable Coastlines on O‘ahu; the Maui Ocean Center Marine Institute; Surfrider Foundation on Kaua‘i; and the Hawai‘i Wildlife Fund on Hawai‘i Island.

“We can mount a rapid response to remove these nets from our shorelines as quickly as possible and before they drift back into the open ocean,” Kelly stated in a DLNR press release Thursday, June 3.

The hotline has a distinct Hawai‘i flavor with a bit of pidgin thrown in: 833-4-Da-Nets (833-432-6387).

“Just as we share one ocean between our islands, it makes complete sense to coordinate all our efforts to respond to nets and other debris that the ocean brings in,” stated Cynthia Welti, Chair of Surfrider Foundation Kaua‘i.

In addition to identifying more marine debris, the recovered nets and derelict fishing gear will be used in research by Hawai‘i Pacific University’s Center for Marine Debris Research (CMDR) to try to source them back to their origin in hopes of working with fisheries to prevent them in the first place.

“We rely on people to report large marine debris sightings so that we can obtain samples for this important research study. The hotline is a huge help,” said co-director of CMDR, Dr. Jennifer Lynch.

In addition to calling the hotline, officials still encourage people to report debris through the state’s website.

“You can upload photos and it ensures reporting of as much data as possible,” Lynch said. “This is especially helpful in reporting large or hazardous marine debris.”

Click here for the DLNR marine debris response and removal reporting form.