KAPAA — The Surfrider Foundation Kauai, in partnership with Hawaii Wildlife Fund with grant funding from Hawaii Pacific University’s Center for Marine Debris Research, announced on Tuesday that in 2024, volunteers collected more than 162,902 pounds of marine debris and trash from Kauai’s beaches and rocky coastline.
The amount sets a new record from 2017, when nearly 120,000 pounds of marine debris and opala were collected.
“We’re very proud of our Net Patrol and Rapid Response programs’ record-breaking more than 81 tons of marine debris and trash collected from Kauai’s beaches and coastlines in 2 024,” said Barbara Wiedner. “Marine debris such as abandoned commercial fishing nets and lines, plus plastics pollution, is the leading cause of death for marine mammals, either by entanglement or ingestion. We are grateful to our loyal local volunteers, keiki, and visitors who participated in Net Patrols and beach cleanups to keep our waters and beaches safe for marine life and humans.”
Of the 162,982 pounds collected in 2024, 154,157 pounds were marine debris, consisting of fish nets, lines, eel traps, and other debris that kills marine life and destroys reefs. According to the International Whaling Commission, 300,000 marine mammals, including whales, dolphins, seals, and sea lions, die annually due to entanglements with ghost fishing gear. When turtles and fish are added in, the number of deaths is close to a million.
Over 81 tons of marine debris and trash were collected during 287 net patrol and beach cleaning events by 5,615 volunteers, including 444 local keiki and 6,424 person-hours.
Surfrider Kauai did its first Net Patrol in 2006 as part of an Earth Day event. Led by Wiedner, a co-founder of the Surfrider Kauai chapter, the Net Patrols continued through Surfrider Kauai’s Net Hotline.
When reports of nets on beaches or the rocky coastline came in, Wiedner would put together a rapid response team of volunteers to remove the net before tides might wash it back to sea, where it could endanger marine life and reefs.
The Net Hotline continues to this day, still being led by Wiedner.
In 2013, Scott McCubbins joined Surfrider and committed to a weekly scheduled Net Patrol, which still takes place every Wednesday starting at 3:30 p.m. McCubbin’s team consists of local volunteers and visitors who want to spend part of their vacation giving back to Kauai and helping protect its ocean, marine life, and reefs.
If an individual sees a net on the beach or coastline, contact the Rapid Response Hotline at 808-635-2593.
To volunteer for Net Patrol on Wednesdays, contact Scott McCubbin at 816-781-5883 or visit the Kauai Volunteer website to see all volunteer opportunities,
For information on Surfrider Kauai, visit the website www.kauai.surfrider.org.
