**One day at a time**

By Sarah Milisen
September 20th, 2024

Some people may have heard of a place called Manawai, or Pearl and Hermes Atoll, but my guess is that most people have never heard of it. However you may know of this place (or not), Manawai is an inspiring place. For years, I had heard stories of impossibly rare endemic Hawaiian fish in schools I could only dream of. I heard stories of clouds with colors that aren't spoken of in any type of textbooks. Stories of dolphins, curious sharks, and, of all things, nets. I originally heard of NOAA's Marine Debris missions to Papahanaumokuakea through my (now) husband who had journeyed to these Northwestern Hawaiian Islands in 2009 and 2012. I was invited in 2021 to join the team, the last year that NOAA staff were involved in the field mission, and the start of PMDP's non-profit "taking of the helm", shall we say. My first trip to Papahanaumokuakea was life changing, really putting into perspective the plastic problems that face all islands, including ancient, uninhabited islands like these. I would estimate that over 95% of the plastic debris we pull up from PMNM (by weight) is commercial fishing debris. Discarded nets, lost buoys, drifting ghost gear, still fishing and entangling wildlife even after it was written off as a lost cause. The other 5% of debris we find, roughly, is consumer goods and shipping container spills. And keep in mind, these are ONLY the floating items. We only get to collect anything that's lost at sea, and still buoyant. Everything else that is lost at sea sinks and is forgotten immediately.

So, we are here to clean the discards of others. Glorified Garbage Collectors, as I've been told. It's not an easy job. In 2021 I got my butt handed to me - my hands swollen, fingers sore, chronically stiff from gripping and pulling nets, skin wet and peeling from bleaching protocol to maintain the pristine nature of this location. Backs, shoulders, arms, all utterly exhausted from hauling monster nets over sponsons and into cargo nets for craning into shipping containers for collection. Yet, here I am again, 2024, for my second excursion up to these sacred grounds. Manawai truly is inspiring. PMDP has made some advancements in garbage collecting efficiency. This team is on point - slaying nets with large bread knives now, hardly using our trusty Spydercos I've thought were always our best option. Gone are the days of trying to just manhandle 1,000+lb conglomerate nets over sponsons, inch by back-breaking inch. Now, moving into shallower waters, spreading out the net into a long snake for easier pulling, and cutting through massive chunks of net with our newly sharpened knives like I've never known. And just like that, our boat was filled up to a massive 2,250lb pile before lunchtime. I was out of my element. Our team of 4 pulled in over 3,000lb of nets on my first day back. I am overwhelmed. Other boats reported similar numbers. Almost breaking the 10,000lb mark on day one. I am in awe. This team is incredibly efficient and full of energy and power. Day two, sore beyond belief but pushing through, we had the perfect day of "medium" nets in the 300-500lb that were "easy" to haul in (astounding, I know) that just easily and consistently kept flowing and filling our boat to the top. Eventually, after about 2,400lb in our boat, we were at capacity, and dropped off our extra "topper" for the least full boat on our way back to the ship.

Manawai is an inspiring place. My swim transects intercepted schools of huge Hawaiian hogfish, masked angelfish, Spectacled Parrotfish, sea turtles startled by my presence, Ulua larger than I was, and as I glanced up, the most vibrant turquoise clouds I have only been able to witness here. THIS is why we are here - to protect this sacred place that inspires us to get up before the sun, work every muscle we have to their max capacity, and then push for more, day after day 'till those nets are gone from bulldozing the reefs and entangling wildlife - for the time being.

Manawai is an inspiring place

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