what is marine debris?

Marine Debris is any human-made material that has been intentionally or unintentionally, disposed of or abandoned into the marine and coastal environment.

Types: Any kind of trash can become marine debris; the most common debris is plastic. Imagines that show most common types:

Plastic (plastic bottle), Glass (glass bottle), Metal (can), Paper, Rubber (tire), Wood

Marine debris comes from both land-based and ocean-based sources.

Land-based debris comes from human activities on land. Wind and rain can carry litter from streets, beaches, or landfills into storm drains, rivers, and other waterways, eventually washing into the ocean.
Ocean-based debris, on the other hand, comes from human activities at sea. This includes items like fishing gear, trash, or equipment that are lost or dumped from vessels, offshore platforms, or aquaculture operations.

Land-based debris comes from human activities on land. Wind and rain can carry litter from streets, beaches, or landfills into storm drains, rivers, and other waterways, eventually washing into the ocean.

Ocean-based debris, on the other hand, comes from human activities at sea. This includes items like fishing gear, trash, or equipment that are lost or dumped from vessels, offshore platforms, or aquaculture operations.

Why it matters:

Plastic has been found in every corner of the vast ocean. An estimated 11 million metric tons of plastic enter the ocean every year. That’s about two garbage trucks worth of plastic entering the ocean every minute.
Here are some of the damages caused by marine debris: 

  • Over 300,000 whales and dolphins die annually from entanglement in fishing gear 
  • Derelict fishing nets cause large-scale damage to coral reefs as they wash in from the open ocean, breaking corals as they tumble to the shore.
  • Endangered hawksbill turtles and threatened green sea turtles can easily be entangled in ghost nets and fishing lines.
  • Sea birds commonly ingest and become entangled in marine debris.
  • There are unknown human health effects from marine debris.

Marine Debris Rapid Response

Pacific Whale Foundation is proud to be the designated response organization in Maui for the state funded Marine Debris Rapid Response program.

Reef Cleanup Dives

PWF’s Reef Cleanup program has made a significant impact on Keoneʻōʻio, Maui (La Perouse Bay) marine environment and continues to remove recreational fishing debris across Maui Nui.

Adopt a Beach

We enlist Hawaiʻi residents to adopt a beach, which comes with the commitment to monthly beach cleanups and debris-data collection

Coastal Marine Debris Monitoring Program

We promote Maui beach cleanups by inviting Hawaiʻi visitors and residents to clean a selected beach and report debris collected

Community Cleanups

Join us every first Saturday of every other month from 9–11am at Mā‘alaea Harbor for our bi-monthly harbor cleanups. These events bring together community members, visitors, and partners to protect Maui’s coastlines, reduce ocean pollution, and care for marine wildlife. All are welcome!