June 25, 2026 — An international study co-authored by a University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa researcher has found that drifting devices used by the global tuna fishing industry are entering marine protected areas around the world, creating potential risks for wildlife and sensitive ocean habitats.
The study, published in Science Advances, analyzed publicly available data on drifting fish aggregating devices (dFADs)—floating rafts equipped with GPS technology that help commercial fishing fleets locate tuna. Researchers estimated the devices have likely drifted through more than half of the world’s marine protected areas by total area.
The findings are especially relevant for Hawaiʻi and the broader Pacific, where vast marine protected areas coexist with some of the world’s busiest tuna fishing grounds. Researchers found hotspots for dFAD interactions in the central Pacific, western Indian Ocean and Caribbean. They also documented at least 6,300 strandings of the devices in 174 protected areas across 53 maritime jurisdictions.
When these floating structures wash ashore or become trapped on reefs, they can damage coral, contribute to plastic pollution and entangle marine animals such as sea turtles and sharks. The study identified nearly 500 at-risk species living within protected areas where dFAD strandings have been observed.