2021 Hawai‘i Marine Debris Action Plan Released

Posted Wed, 12/08/2021 - 11:00
Cover of the 2021 Hawai'i Marine Debris Action Plan.
Check out the new Hawai‘i Marine Debris Action Plan on our website!

The NOAA Marine Debris Program (MDP) is pleased to share the 2021 Hawai‘i Marine Debris Action Plan (Action Plan). This document is the result of a collaborative effort between the MDP and partners across Hawai‘i, including federal, state, and local governments, nongovernmental organizations, industry, and academia. It represents a partner-led effort to guide marine debris actions in Hawai‘i for the next ten years.

Marine debris is pervasive and especially difficult to address in Hawai‘i. The dense population, relatively small land mass, and geographic isolation present infrastructure and cost challenges. Local litter and Pacific Ocean currents that carry marine debris to Hawai‘i from afar have been and continue to be major problems in the islands. However, there is a dedicated marine debris community in the islands that lead by example and persistence, and a long history of community-led environmental stewardship has laid the foundation for the Action Plan. 

The purpose of the Action Plan is to facilitate and track actions over the next ten years to reduce the ecological, health and safety, and economic impacts of marine debris in Hawai‘i by 2031. It prioritizes prevention and emphasizes the importance of addressing the issue of marine debris through proactive approaches. 

The Action Plan has four goals, with 23 strategies and 129 actions that define how each goal will be achieved. The goals are:

  • Goal 1: Prevention
  • Goal 2: Ocean-based Marine Debris 
  • Goal 3: Removal
  • Goal 4: Research

This is a new action plan, following the completion of the 2010-2020 Hawai‘i Marine Debris Action Plan. In March 2021, the Hawai‘i Marine Debris Action Plan community came together to celebrate the completion of the 2010-2020 Action Plan and create the new Action Plan. This new Action Plan was built through the collaborative efforts of 48 contributing organizations. At the end of every two-year operational cycle, the partners will meet to update the Action Plan as needed.

The MDP greatly appreciates this collaborative effort. For more information, please contact Mark Manuel (mark.manuel@noaa.gov).