CG clears debris around Hawaiian Islands - Navy News | News from Afghanistan & Iraq - Navy Times

CG clears debris around Hawaiian Islands

HONOLULU — The Coast Guard said Monday its latest cleanup efforts netted 32 tons of trash from the waters around the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands.

The crew of the Coast Guard cutter Walnut worked with the U.S. Army’s dive team to clear the debris during a three-week, 2,900-mile mission to Maro Reef, Kure and Midway Atoll.

“America’s marine waters and their ecosystems are vital to the health, well-being and economy of the nation,” said Eric Roberts, the marine protected species program manager for the 14th Coast Guard District. “For this reason, the Coast Guard’s role in carrying out the nation’s mandates to protect our marine environment is of vital importance.”

The Walnut, a 225-foot buoy tender, on Monday offloaded the debris, which will be shredded and burned into energy.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration estimates that every year more than 50 tons of marine debris enters the area also known as the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument.

More than 540 metric tons of garbage and derelict fishing gear have been removed from the islands’ waters since 1996.

In addition to the Walnut’s marine debris recovery efforts, the cutter was engaged in a two-week law enforcement patrol. The crew also delivered supplies to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service personnel at the Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge.