Hawaiian green sea turtles, also called honu, are increasingly found injured or stranded by monofilament fishing gear in Hawaiʻi's waters, KITV 4 Island News reported. Abandoned ocean fishing gear is now the leading cause of injury for this endangered species in Hawaiʻi.
What's happening?
The latest research by Hawaiʻi Pacific University has found that cases of stranded sea turtles by ghost fishing gear have exponentially increased since 2016. It has since overtaken fibropapillomatosis, a tumor-causing disease, as the leading cause of injury or death for Hawaiian green sea turtles.
Researchers speculate that the state's growing human population and increased demand for coastal fishing have deposited a great deal of fishing gear into the waters, which has been catching the green sea turtles.
The uptick in entanglement incidents may also be due to the growing population of green sea turtles in the state, which has increased 5% per year over the last two decades, according to Hawaiʻi's Division of Aquatic Resources. What was once considered a blessing has quickly turned into misfortune as these endangered sea turtles are being affected by human fishing activity.
"It is unfortunate that our activities result in this damaging plastic pollution and collide with the survival of marine species," said Jennifer Lynch, co-director at the Center for Marine Debris Research, per KITV.
Why is plastic marine debris concerning?
Plastic pollution is the most common type of marine debris, making up 80% of all human-created waste in the ocean, according to the U.S. Department of the Interior. Every year, at least eight million tons of plastic enter our oceans, which can threaten marine life and lead to microplastic-contaminated water.
Abandoned or ghost fishing gear from personal and commercial fishing poses a great threat to marine life as seabirds and other marine mammals become entangled and trapped in the debris, leading to injury, starvation, suffocation, and death.
Plastic marine debris results in "lost catch opportunities and economic losses for fishermen," per the Department of the Interior.
What's being done about marine debris?
Various organizations have been working to clean up and keep ghost fishing gear out of Hawaiʻi's waters.
A 25-year cleanup effort in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands has effectively led to reduced monk seal entanglement.
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Definitely 👍 Hawaiian Adventures Kona, a whale-watching tour, recently recovered a mass of abandoned fishing gear on a regular whale-watching tour, when the team discovered the debris in the water.
Marine debris affects marine life everywhere. You can help address the plastic pollution problem by participating in local beach cleanups or using less plastic in your day-to-day life.
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