PMDP - Ocean Steward Night
- Katie Burgess
- 1 day ago
- 2 min read
We were thrilled to recently attend an Ocean Steward Night presented by the Papahānaumokuākea Marine Debris Project (PMDP). It was a chance for them to bring together the community to discuss best practices & highlight the beauty of the many islands & atolls that make up the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument.
Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument
Many residents of Hawaii, and certainly many people on the mainland, are not aware that this is the largest National Monument in the USA. In 2016 President Obama increased its protected area from 139,797 square miles to 582,578 square miles. As a comparison the Grand Canyon National Park encompasses 1,904 square miles!
The sunset gathering was hosted at the Kona Salt Farm who is also a funding partner with 1% of their sales going directly to help support PMDP. They have a stunning location right on the ocean at Keāhole Point, the westernmost point of Big Island. It's actually part of the larger Hawaii Ocean Science & Technology Park (HOST Park) that uses ancient, deep ocean water to power innovations in food, conservation, and wellness.
Sunset gathering at Kona Salt Farm
Kona Sea Salt comes from 2,200 feet below the Pacific Ocean where the water is pristine, cold, and remarkably mineral-rich. A pipeline 6,284 feet long and 40 inches in diameter brings the water onshore where it is solar-evaporated & hand-harvested to deliver the purest salt flakes. Be sure to check out their website for not just salts but all kinds of products & gift ideas. If you are on Big Island they are well worth a visit and have cold foot soaks that will take your breath away (quite literally!) as the water is around 40'F (4'C)
PMDP recapped their successful 2025 season going over each of the islands & atolls they visited resulting in the removal of 184,940lbs (92 tons) of marine debris. In fact, PMDP believe 2025 saw a turning point where they have caught up with the dense backlog of older debris and anticipate a reduction in the amount of fresh marine debris being removed from 2026 onwards. With three month-long clean up missions planned for 2026 it will be interesting to see the numbers, with all hopes that there is much less to clean up each year going forward.
To get a taste of Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument enjoy this video from Salesforce
