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Hawaii Research Center Paying Commercial Fishermen to Collect Derelict Nets
Hawai’i Pacific University’s Center for Marine Debris Research has launched a project to remove derelict fishing gear from the ocean.
A bounty will be paid to eligible commercial fishers to remove derelict fishing gear at-sea before it strikes Hawai’i’s coral reefs. Fishers registered in the bounty project will be paid between $1 to $3 per dry pound for derelict fishing gear found at sea and brought back to Oahu.
Hawai’i Pacific is partnering with the Hawai’i Longline Association and Hawai’i’s Department of Land and Natural Resources’ Division of Aquatic Resources on the project. The goal is to remove 100 metric tons (220,462 pounds) of derelict fishing gear from the Pacific Ocean over two years.
The program is partially supported by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration...