March 11, 2026 — An Oahu university project has helped remove hundreds of thousands of pounds of fishing gear from the North Pacific Ocean.

Hawaii Pacific University’s Center for Marine Debris Research (HPU CMDR) Bounty Project has removed more than 185,000 pounds of derelict “ghost” fishing gear from the North Pacific. The effort turns commercial fishing trips into vessels of opportunity for ocean cleanup, pulling nets, lines and floats out of the water before they can drift into reefs, shorelines or threaten endangered marine wildlife.

Launched in November 2022, the Bounty Project is one of only three known efforts to remove debris in the distant North Pacific garbage patch.

Read the full article at Hawaii News Now