MONTHLY HMAR UPDATE: November 2023
November has been filled with marine debris net recoveries, partner cleanups, and the start of our shearwater surveys!
Number of contacts made to HMAR hotlines in November 2023 – 1,305 contacts
This is broken down as 713 contacts regarding Hawaiian monk seals, 108 contacts regarding sea turtles, and 402 contacts regarding seabirds. The remaining 82 contacts were not regarding marine animals of concern.
Number of field support actions conducted in November 2023 – 202 actions
This was broken down as 20 in the east section of Oʻahu, 82 in the lower west area, 1 in the upper west, 13 in the north area, and 86 in the southeast area of Oʻahu.
Last month was very busy with shearwaters during fallout season but that didn’t stop our Waikīikī seals from continuing to make more regular appearances. RQ44 (Mahina) has continued to haul out in town last month and seems to be getting greener by the day but still no signs of her first molt (see picture left). Ko Olina has also seen a slight uptick in seals, some days seeing 5 seals all hauled out onto one beach!
Members of our team actively engaged in seabird banding last month, partnering with the University of Hawai’i, at the large shearwater colony on the north shore managed by HMAR. The goal is to band wedge tailed shearwaters (ʻuaʻu kani) before they leave their burrows for the first time. This project helps monitor the population and activity of these wonderful seabirds
November also marked the commencement of our annual Laysan albatross (mōlī) monitoring project at our partnered colony, a collaborative effort involving the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, the North Shore Community Land Trust, and Turtle Bay Resort (see picture right). With 9 nests identified and mapped, our team is thrilled to embark on another season of observations, outreach and conservation. We can’t wait to see what the rest of the season holds!
Number of rescues, interventions, stranding responses, and escalated field actions in November 2023 – 182
This was broken down as 17 operations for sea turtles, 161 operations for seabirds, and 4 for Hawaiian monk seals. Of special note, we had one rescue operation for a rare hawksbill sea turtle hatchling and one large downed seabird.
In November, HMAR responded to a call concerning a green sea turtle in West Loch, displaying signs of distress while foraging and exhibiting a poor body condition (see picture right). Upon reaching the scene, the team promptly retrieved and assessed the turtle, considering factors such as body and carapace condition, and tumor load it needed to be transported. Our staff notified NOAA that the turtle was going to be brought in for further assessments by veterinarians. It is currently undergoing additional tests and monitoring to ensure comprehensive care and recovery.
During November, the shearwater fallout season was at its peak, and we want to extend our sincere appreciation to all those who played a crucial role this year. HMAR has achieved significant success in rescuing and transporting nearly 200 seabirds thus far this year. A special thank you goes out to our committed volunteers, interns, and dispatch volunteers, whose tireless efforts covered the entire island (see picture left). Their dedication was instrumental in the successful rescue of seabirds and effective communication with concerned individuals..
Our partners, including the environmental specialists aboard Marine Corps Base Hawaiʻi (MCBH), deserve recognition for their invaluable support in rescuing many seabirds this year. Feather & Fur Animal Hospital also earns a huge thank you for once again serving as a crucial center for seabird drop-off, triage, and care. Throughout the fallout season, HMAR dispatch has been handling numerous calls daily from a vigilant public, highlighting their dedication. To the community as a whole, we are grateful for your active role in protecting these young birds on their journey!
Marine Debris – Large Debris Recovery!
We conducted seven marine debris in-water dives last month collecting 1,624 feet of monofilament line and 379 animal hazards. On top of our dives, as the State of Hawaiʻi Department of Aquatic Resources Marine Debris Rapid Response contractor for Oʻahu, HMAR was called out to a large net mass on the East side of the island (see picture left)! Prompted by a morning call from attentive Laie beach walkers, our team swiftly responded 
to a mass of washed-up rope behind homes. Upon reaching the site, we encountered a notable knot of various ropes, driven ashore by the high tide. Fortunately, a generous neighbor with beachfront property allowed us to navigate one of our HMAR trucks through their yard for efficient access. Our team promptly began the task of cutting the rope into more manageable sections. These sections were then carried away, ensuring a comprehensive cleanup of the beach area. The combined weight of this rope mass reached around 800 pounds.
We extend our heartfelt gratitude to all who contributed to these efforts and to the vigilant individual who alerted us to this significant hazard. If you ever encounter derelict fishing gear or nets, whether in the water or on land, please do not hesitate to contact our Hawaiʻi DLNR Marine Debris Rapid Response hotline at 833-4-DA-NETS.
Number of people reached through face-to-face outreach and education in November 2023 – 1,509 people
Last month, members of our team involved in our Education & Engagement Program continued their outreach work at Waikīkī Aquarium on Mondays from 11am-2pm. In November, HMAR teamed up for two successful beach cleanups. The first, in collaboration with Kidzart and Aaron’s Dive Shop, drew a good turnout from the public and our dedicated volunteers. The second, in partnership with JABSOM School at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa for One Health Day, also had a significant impact with strong community participation from the students and their families (see picture right).
Kailua Bay Adventure also joined us at our facility to renew
their Hawai’i Marine Stewards certification. Their ongoing dedication to safeguarding our sea turtles in the water and providing support for monk seals and seabirds on Moku Nui Island is commendable. Lastly HMAR taught a small class on in-water debris cleanups and animal entanglements to the very smart keiki Seal Team class hosted by Aaron’s Dive shop. Thank you to everyone that came out and participated in the cleanups along with all of the organizations we partnered with last month!
Additional News & Updates
We are continuing to recruit for our spring semester internships. If you or someone you know is interested in marine conservation, head over HERE and check it out! We offer internships in the field work along with a new stipend internship for the upcoming semester!
As we enter December 2023, every one of us at HMAR wants to wish all of you a healthy and joyful holiday season.
Mahalo for your support!
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WHAT DO THESE NUMBERS MEAN?
Number of Calls – What does this mean? These are contacts that our hotline operators answer about any species in any situation. Whether it is a monk seal on the beach, a sea turtle of concern in the water, or a seabird that needs help. HMAR answers the calls that are made to the NOAA’s marine wildlife number for Oʻahu and Molokaʻi and we take calls from the public, from the police, fire department, Ocean Safety as well as State of Hawaiʻi agencies. Some calls result in a field response but many are valuable for animal sightings information or other data that can assist in research. Since our start in 2016, we’ve handled over 65,000 hotline contacts.
Number of Field Support Actions – What does this mean? This is when HMAR sends volunteer or staff resources into the field to perform a variety of actions in support of marine protected animals including Hawaiian monk seals, sea turtles, sea birds, dolphins, whales or marine debris. Since our start in 2016, we have had volunteers or staff in the field 27,692 times.
Number of Rescues, Interventions, Stranding Responses and Escalated Field Actions – What does this mean? This number includes any field response that goes above and beyond a typical resting monk seal response. This includes responding to a seal of concern, an entangled, hooked, or injured sea turtle, a seabird in need of medical support, and other situations. Since 2016, we have performed 2,512 of these operations.
Marine Debris Work – Each week our marine debris team removes underwater entanglement hazards (net, line, hooks) from high fishing pressure areas to reduce animal entanglements, hookings, injuries and death of protected marine animals. Since we started our underwater removal activities, our Marine Debris Program (MDP) and our BEAT DEBRIS citizen science project has removed about 10,300 animal hazards, cleaned over 303 acres of underwater habitat, and we have collected over 23 miles of monofilament fishing line. Taking all of this debris out of underwater habitat helps save Hawaiian monk seals, sea turtles, and seabirds.
Number of People Reached through Face to Face Outreach – What does this mean? HMAR’s different program activities put our volunteers and staff in direct contact with Hawai’iʻs residents and visitors. Educating people about Hawai’i’s marine protected species and our ocean ecosystem is one of our highest priorities and has an important impact on reducing threats. This number includes outreach done in the field as well as the work our Education and Engagement team accomplishes through community outreach events and other educational activity. Since our start we’ve reached 319,759 people.