The Microplastic Pollution Problem
Jan 21, 2020
Kailua Beach, Oahu, has been in the press recently due to a massive amount of microplastics that have washed up on shore. Volunteers have removed thousands of pounds of the stuff, but we're losing the war.
Sandy Beach in Oahu Gets Cleaning by ODA
Jan 16, 2020
These two guys coordinated the Sandy Beach cleanup. Afterwards, they went to another beach and filled three more buckets with junk. Way to go!
So, come on now and see what they did with a group of stalwart volunteers at Sandy Beach!
Strong Currents Don’t Stop the ODA-Hawaii Debris Removers
Jan 14, 2020
We're a bit late in reporting this, but our dedicated Oahu volunteers deserve their moment in the spotlight!
Twenty-three (23) of our Hawai'i crew managed to remove hazardous ghost gear despite challenges. Read about their adventure...
Giant Black Sea Bass Are Protected by ODA
Nov 27, 2019
We’ve been asked by Biologist Mike Couffer of Grey Owl Biological Consulting to help defend the Giant Black Sea Bass population.
Our crew did a stellar job cleaning the habitat so the babies can survive to grow into adulthood without being harmed by debris. Come see the large amount of ghost gear we removed!
Marine Wildlife Motivates ODA-Hawaii Debris-Removal Crew
Nov 27, 2019
Two dozen dedicated Ocean Defenders Alliance conservationists came together to remove reef-choking, wildlife-entangling fishing gear.
Our Dive Team Coordinator Ken Staples enthusiastically shares the story with you!
ODA Volunteers Clean Our Adopted ‘Flood-Control’ Channel
Nov 5, 2019
Where do you think we should clean-up ocean debris?
Well, sometimes we need to clean it up before it becomes OCEAN debris!
Check out what our hard-working volunteer Karla Reinhardt and her fellow debris-removal teammates did. Joined by two younger ocean defenders, they made sure the trash wouldn't make it to the coast.
Determined Defenders Get Their Debris
Oct 28, 2019
California is battling fires and our hearts go out to all people affected by and those fighting this.
Our crew decided to keep doing what we can for our CA environment and hit the waters to remove debris. While fires rages and oceans roiled, our dedicated defenders were able to remove abandoned fishing gear.
Anchors Away and A Lot of Other Debris Too
Oct 23, 2019
Ocean debris is a menace to marine society!
The only thing that turns our frustration around is being part of the effort to get rid of it. And so we did a few days ago when we did two dives that unearthed a plethora of debris. Come with us to see what we removed!
Oct 8, 2019 - California Waters Cough Up Derelict Fishing Gear
Oct 3, 2019 - Future Ocean Defenders
Oct 1, 2019 - ODA’s Initial Cleanup at Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve
Sep 25, 2019 - Coyote Creek Channel Cleanup
Sep 23, 2019 - A Heavy Day for All Divers / ODA Divers Haul Heavy Load
Sep 10, 2019 - Kawaihae Harbor Gets Cleaned by ODA-HI
Aug 28, 2019 - Massive Haul at Honokohau Harbor Cleanup
Aug 26, 2019 - Dedicated Oahu Divers Remove Deadly Marine Debris
Aug 15, 2019 - Channel Islands Maritime Museum Exhibit About ODA
Aug 12, 2019 - The Net Worth of Ghost Net is Priceless
Aug 6, 2019 - Killer Nets Hang Onto Sunken Boat Wreck
Jul 23, 2019 - Abandoned Fishing Nets No Longer Ensnare Marine Life
Jul 17, 2019 - Video: ODA-Hawaii Volunteers Untangle Coral and Pufferfish
Jul 9, 2019 - Dangerous Debris Collects Around Sunken Vessels
Jul 3, 2019 - Sea Turtles and Puffer Fish Helped by ODA-Hawaii
Jul 2, 2019 - Defending Ocean Life with Compassion Over Killing
Jun 21, 2019 - Different Ways to Defend the Ocean
Jun 13, 2019 - World Oceans Day is Busy for ODA-Hawaii
Jun 4, 2019 - Sunken Boat - and ODA Crew - Snag Marine Debris
May 21, 2019 - Dockside Dinner for the Oceans
May 10, 2019 - Oahu Divers Give Back to the Ocean
Apr 22, 2019 - Two-Year Anniversary of a Partnership Made in Ocean Heaven
Apr 17, 2019 - Ghost Gear Removed from Southern California Coastal Waters
Apr 10, 2019 - Big Island Boat Harbor’s Getting Better All the Time
Apr 2, 2019 - Preparation is Key
Mar 25, 2019 - ‘Twas Ladies Day on the ol’ LegaSea
Mar 21, 2019 - Volunteers Rid Hawai’i Waters of Coral-Strangling Lines and More
Mar 1, 2019 - Middle School Students Already Defending the Oceans
Feb 26, 2019 - It Wasn’t ‘The Last Straw’ at Bolsa Chica Beach
Feb 20, 2019 - ODA-HI Oahu Dive Team Removes Ghost Gear
Feb 18, 2019 - Bolsa Chica Beach Relieved of Debris
Feb 12, 2019 - Volunteers Needed to Clean Sunset Beach CA
Feb 6, 2019 - Hawaii’s 'Big Island' Water Cleanup with Kohala Divers
Feb 5, 2019 - Seal Beach Cleanup Opportunity
Jan 21, 2019 - Improvement Project Continues in Big Island Boat Harbor
Dec 27, 2018 - Toxic Lead Fishing Weights Removed from Oahu Waters
Dec 20, 2018 - Shoreline Cleanup at Seal Beach National Wildlife Refuge
Dec 19, 2018 - The Tale of the Malibu Crab Trap
Dec 12, 2018 - Beach Cleanup in Southern California
Dec 4, 2018 - Northern California Crab Traps Tracked by ODA
Nov 28, 2018 - ODA Tracks Traps in Central California
Nov 12, 2018 - Squid and Gill Nets Cleared from Artificial Reef
Oct 17, 2018 - Captain Kurt to Give Talk at Burroughs Nature Club
Oct 10, 2018 - So Cal Underwater Radio Tower Gets Cleaned
Oct 8, 2018 - Honokohau Harbor Cleanup Kick-off
Sep 19, 2018 - Opportunity to Cleanup Honokohau Harbor
Sep 18, 2018 - Net Loss for the Ocean is Actually a Net Gain
Sep 13, 2018 - Sometimes the Easy Jobs are the Hardest
Sep 11, 2018 - Massive Abandoned Net off Big Island No Longer Traps Ocean Life
Aug 24, 2018 - A Tale of Two Cleanups
Aug 13, 2018 - Laguna California Waters Safer for Marine Wildlife
Aug 6, 2018 - Hazardous Fishing Gear Hauled Out of Oahu Waters
Jul 31, 2018 - Honokohau Harbor and Two Other Sites Get ODA-HI’s Attention
Jul 26, 2018 - Underwater Harbor Cleanup in Big Island Waters
Jul 18, 2018 - Cleaning the Breakwall of Los Angeles Harbor
Jul 9, 2018 - Sunken Vessel Collects Marine Debris – ODA Removes It
Jul 2, 2018 - ODA-HI Oahu Team Cleans Oceans to Help Marine Wildlife and Habitat
Jun 29, 2018 - Trap and All Kinds of Debris Removed from So Cal Waters
Jun 13, 2018 - Marine Protected Area Cleaned by ODA
Jun 7, 2018 - Southern California Ghost Gear Recovery
May 30, 2018 - Big Island’s ‘Trail of Tears’ Freed of Trash and Fishing Gear
May 24, 2018 - Oahu’s Spitting Caves Cleaned of Marine Debris
May 23, 2018 - Killer Traps Kill No More
May 15, 2018 - Derelict Fishing Gear Removed from Huntington Harbor
May 7, 2018 - Earth Day Cleanups on the Big Island of Hawaii
Apr 20, 2018 - ODA Partners in Monster Net Removal at Kailua Beach
Apr 19, 2018 - Students Using ROV Assist with Marine Debris Removal
Apr 17, 2018 - Dockside Dinner and Drinks 2018
Apr 2, 2018 - Testing, Training, Trap Tracking and Removal
Mar 12, 2018 - ODA-HI Volunteers Remove Ghost Gear and Multiple Abandoned Nets
Mar 6, 2018 - Dockside Dinner & Drinks
Feb 28, 2018 - Whale Disentanglement Team (WET) Continues Training ODA
Feb 8, 2018 - Tracking Traps to Protect Whales and All Marine Life
Feb 5, 2018 - Abandoned Fishing Gear Removed from Oahu’s Coastal Waters
Jan 31, 2018 - So Cal Plastic Patrol Cleans Birds' Ocean Habitat
Jan 23, 2018 - Jack’s Diving Locker and ODA Launch First Debris Removal Expedition
Jan 22, 2018 - Cleaning Our Waterways: ODA’s New Adopt A Channel
Jan 4, 2018 - Hawai’i Preparatory Academy Cares About the Ocean
Jan 2, 2018 - Kohala Divers and ODA Join in Inaugural Debris Removal Dive
Dec 13, 2017 - Huge net retrieved = huge goal achieved
Nov 30, 2017 - ODA’s Trap Trackers are clearing the way for whales in Laguna Beach!
Nov 1, 2017 - ODA Trains with the NOAA Whale Entanglement Team
Oct 26, 2017 - Fishing Lines and Lead Weights Litter Oahu’s Ocean Floor
Oct 19, 2017 - Seal Beach Nat'l Wildlife Refuge’s Special Cleanup a Success
Oct 12, 2017 - Marine Wildlife Affected by the Health of Coral in Oahu
Oct 5, 2017 - Wetlands Cleanup at Seal Beach National Wildlife Refuge
Sep 26, 2017 - Humpback Whale Killed by Derelict Fishing Gear
Sep 20, 2017 - Maui’s Sugar Beach Sure Looks Sweet (After ODA Cleanup)!
Sep 14, 2017 - Big Island of Hawai’i Coastal Waters Need Our Help
Sep 11, 2017 - ‘Kohala Divers’ and ODA: New Big Island of Hawai’i Alliance for Ocean Debris Removal
Sep 8, 2017 - ‘Jack’s Diving Locker’ Partners Up with ODA for Clean Oceans on the Big Island of Hawai’i
Aug 29, 2017 - Oahu Coral Freed from Smothering Ghost Gear
Aug 17, 2017 - Lawsuit to End Whale, Sea Turtle Entanglements in California Dungeness Crab Gear
Aug 3, 2017 - Removing Monofilament Fishing Line Makes Oahu Water Safer
Jul 31, 2017 - Busy Summer Days at ODA
Jul 11, 2017 - National Marine Sanctuaries – No New Review Needed
Jul 6, 2017 - Oahu’s China Wall Cleaned by ODA-HI Crew
Jun 13, 2017 - Fishing Site Loaded with Dangerous Ghost Gear
Jun 9, 2017 - The Great Big Story
Jun 8, 2017 - New and Veteran Volunteers Remove Debris from LA Harbor
May 31, 2017 - Alliance Actions Abound
May 26, 2017 - Big Island and Maui Added to ODA's Hawai'ian Expansion
May 18, 2017 - ODA Hawai’i Schedules Monthly Dives in Oahu Waters
Apr 25, 2017 - Jeff Larson, We'll Miss You – a Friend to the Oceans and ODA
Apr 18, 2017 - Abandoned Lobster Traps Removed
Apr 12, 2017 - Women’s Sailing Association - Orange County - an ODA Presentation
Apr 11, 2017 - Channeling Debris from the Channel
Apr 3, 2017 - ODA Searches for Gray Whale Entangled in Ghost Gear
Mar 31, 2017 - Hawaii Ghost Gear Removal by ODA’s Captain
Mar 27, 2017 - Diversity in Defending the Oceans
Mar 14, 2017 - Cleanup at Bolsa Chica Channel
Mar 6, 2017 - 600 Pounds of Plastic Debris ‘Put in its Place’
Feb 14, 2017 - Seal Beach National Wildlife Refuge Cleanup Effort Continues
Feb 7, 2017 - Wetlands More Habitable Now
Jan 31, 2017 - Huntington Beach Harbor Clean-up Under Way
Jan 26, 2017 - Plastic Patrol Plea for Partners
Jan 16, 2017 - A Plastic Ocean
Jan 11, 2017 - Cleaning Newport Beach Waters of Hazardous Debris
Dec 22, 2016 - Holiday Gifts for the Oceans
Dec 13, 2016 - Abandoned Squid Net Kills No More
Dec 12, 2016 - Canada Sees High Number of Whales Suffer Entanglement
Nov 28, 2016 - Set Out for Net and Scored Traps Instead!
Nov 21, 2016 - Celebrate Good Times…and Clean Oceans
Oct 20, 2016 - Fishing Gear Entangles Whale
Sep 29, 2016 - Hawai’i Chapter of ODA Launches First Expedition!
Sep 6, 2016 - Orange Slices TV Show Features Ocean Defenders Alliance
Aug 17, 2016 - Ghost Gear Removed Means More Healthy Ocean Life
Aug 8, 2016 - Eyes on the Water
Aug 4, 2016 - Back in Action!: Anacapa Island Lobster Traps Removed
Jul 6, 2016 - Wetlands Plastic Debris - Your ODA Team is on the Job
Jun 30, 2016 - NBC Los Angeles Covers ODA Efforts to Save Whales
Jun 28, 2016 - Whale Entanglements: A preventable problem
Jun 15, 2016 - Hauling and stalling in the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary
Jun 5, 2016 - Defending marine life for World Oceans Day!
May 25, 2016 - To save our salty ocean friends!
May 18, 2016 - End drift net killing! Urgent call to Action for all Ocean Defenders and Allies!
Apr 12, 2016 - Spring cleaning and a change of scenery
Mar 28, 2016 - Spring Cleaning for the Ocean
Mar 23, 2016 - Inaugural Activities for ODA Hawai’i
Mar 18, 2016 - ODA Launches New Hawai’i Chapter
Feb 11, 2016 - Super Haul Sunday
Jan 31, 2016 - Droning on About Efficiency
Dec 31, 2015 - Lobster Trap Lines and Remnants Removed
Dec 15, 2015 - Entanglements Impact on Whales
Dec 10, 2015 - Lost Fishing Nets Removed Making Ocean Safer
Nov 29, 2015 - Row of Traps and Lines - A Gauntlet for Whales
Nov 10, 2015 - Removing Traps from Hawthorne Reef
Oct 30, 2015 - ODA Wins Scuba Diving magazine's 'Sea Hero of the Year' award!
Oct 26, 2015 - Celebrating the Oceans with Channel Islands Divers
Oct 19, 2015 - Angel Therapy for the Oceans
Oct 7, 2015 - Water Talk - from Rivers and Lakes to the Ocean
Oct 6, 2015 - Catalina Island Underwater Cleanup
Sep 28, 2015 - Beach Cleanup for Disney VoluntEARS and ODA
Sep 21, 2015 - Coast to Coast Alliance Building
Sep 3, 2015 - Building Your Ocean Alliance!
Aug 26, 2015 - Los Angeles Harbor Cleanup
Aug 1, 2015 - Sunken Wreck Debris Haul-Out at Catalina Island
Jul 28, 2015 - Four Sons Brewery Supports ODA
Jul 24, 2015 - Boudin SF Bakery Supports ODA
Jul 15, 2015 - Lobster Hoop Net Hoopla
Jun 26, 2015 - Be Straw Free Project
Jun 3, 2015 - The Fulfilling Work of Removing Ghost Gear
May 4, 2015 - NBC News Features ODA
Apr 23, 2015 - Breakthrough at the Breakwall
Apr 22, 2015 - Happy Ocean-filled Earth Day
Apr 20, 2015 - TakePart Mag Shares ODA's Mission to Eradicate Ghost Gear
Apr 14, 2015 - Pacific Coast Forage Fish Protected
Apr 7, 2015 - The Path of a Cigarette Butt from the Gutter to the Ocean
Apr 1, 2015 - The Joy of Hoisting and Removing Abandoned Lobster Traps
Mar 20, 2015 - Whales Maimed and Killed by Ghost Gear
Mar 18, 2015 - Ghost Gear Galore
Mar 16, 2015 - ODA Board Member Featured in National Geographic Magazine
Feb 24, 2015 - Reconnaissance and Recruiting
Jan 15, 2015 - 2015 Launches with Whale Sitings and Ghost Gear Removal
Jan 9, 2015 - Whales Starve With Bellies Full of Trash
Dec 31, 2014 - More Whales Close to Shore Increases Entanglement Risk
Nov 11, 2014 - Disney and ODA Team Up!
Nov 4, 2014 - Top-Rated Nonprofit Award from GreatNonprofits
Oct 30, 2014 - Mr. Barker's LegaSea Featured in Boating News
Oct 17, 2014 - Eat a Meal and Support ODA
Oct 9, 2014 - Defenders of the Deep
Oct 7, 2014 - Orange County Newspaper Covers Mr. Barker's LegaSea
Oct 2, 2014 - Maiden Voyage of Mr. Barker's LegaSea
Sep 25, 2014 - Announcing Mr. Bob Barker's California Ocean Conservation 'LegaSea'
Sep 12, 2014 - Inspired by Team Spirit
Aug 13, 2014 - Giant Sea Bass Count
Jul 22, 2014 - Ton of Trash
Jul 11, 2014 - Trap Removal at Cat Rock
Jul 10, 2014 - New Boat: help needed!
Jun 19, 2014 - Channel Islands National Park Applauds ODA's Work
May 30, 2014 - Saving Animals Makes a Memorable Memorial Day
May 22, 2014 - Videos, Art, and all that Junk
May 8, 2014 - Marine Debris Sources - Ghost Fishing Gear
May 6, 2014 - AmazonSmile - a new way to support ODA
Apr 21, 2014 - Earth Day in Action
Apr 16, 2014 - Ocean Wildlife Rescue
Apr 8, 2014 - Ocean Conservation Education
Apr 3, 2014 - Quest for New Marine Debris Removal Vessel
Mar 25, 2014 - Giant Abandoned Squid Net Removed
Mar 3, 2014 - 'Treasure Trove' of Traps
Feb 14, 2014 - ODA Trends Toward High-Tech
Feb 11, 2014 - ODA’s Record-Setting Year: 2013!
Jan 21, 2014 - ODA Heaves Heavy Harbor Haul with Help
Jan 9, 2014 - Ventura County Star Reports on ODA's Big Cleanup Effort
Jan 7, 2014 - Ocean Debris: Everything Including the Kitchen Sink!
Jan 6, 2014 - Whales and Marine Debris
Dec 7, 2013 - A Season to Give Thanks
Nov 14, 2013 - Risso's Dolphins Ride the Waves with ODA
Oct 17, 2013 - Jonathan’s Pinnacle
Oct 10, 2013 - Channel Islands - Beauty and Debris
Oct 3, 2013 - LA Times Reports on ODA Video of Great White Shark
Sep 30, 2013 - Lobster-palooza
Sep 19, 2013 - Supersized ODA Day - Big Bass and Huge Haul
Sep 11, 2013 - Operation Deep Sweep is Launched
Aug 26, 2013 - Killer Lobster Traps and 'Killer' Ocean Art
Aug 14, 2013 - Ban on Otters Affects Abalone and Urchins
Jul 29, 2013 - Rebreathers Breathe Life into Our Ocean
Jul 18, 2013 - Helicopter Scouting Proves Fruitful
Jun 12, 2013 - Surprising (??) Amount of Trash Found on Deep-Sea Floor
May 3, 2013 - Releasing Trapped Critters and Clearing Paths for Whales
Apr 30, 2013 - Trap Lines Snag Dolphin - watch video
Apr 24, 2013 - Dr. Sylvia Earle Dives in with ODA
Apr 8, 2013 - Barging in on Destruction
Mar 19, 2013 - Illegal Nets and Elusive Traps
Feb 1, 2013 - Advocating for Abalone
Jan 17, 2013 - Net Hunting off Huntington Beach
Jan 15, 2013 - Hollywood Celebrity Bob Barker 'dives in' to save ocean animals!
Jan 13, 2013 - Bringing Marine Debris into the Light
Nov 20, 2012 - Dive in the Dark = Clean Veterans' Park
Nov 5, 2012 - Taming a Beast of a Net
Oct 19, 2012 - Ocean Poachers Beware
Oct 4, 2012 - BLUE Ocean, Suffering Seals
Sep 24, 2012 - Busy Days for ODA!
Sep 13, 2012 - Barging in on the Huntington Barge
Sep 4, 2012 - The Chemical Frankenstein
Aug 15, 2012 - The Waterman’s Ball, and a Watery Ball of Net
Aug 5, 2012 - Divers Double-dive for Dangerous Debris
Aug 3, 2012 - ODA’s Olympic Rapid Response!
Jul 26, 2012 - Assessing ODA’s Oceanic ‘Hood - ODA Field report 2012-07-26
Jul 20, 2012 - The Monster Trap - ODA Field Report 7-20-2012
Jul 9, 2012 - ODA Founder Kurt Lieber Attends Coast Guard Captain’s Course
Jun 12, 2012 - Backyard Cleanup Campaign
Jun 4, 2012 - Long Beach Scuba Show – May 5, 2012
May 21, 2012 - ODA Field Report - 2012 - May 3rd: LA Harbor Lighthouse
May 5, 2012 - L.A. Harbor Loses Five Hundred Pounds... of Trash
Dec 1, 2011 - End of 2011 Report
Jul 24, 2011 - In Memory of Mike LaPrade
Mar 18, 2011 - March 2011 Update
Jan 31, 2011 - Status & Field Report - January 2011 ODA Takes on the African Queen (Episode 1)
Sep 30, 2010 - Status & Field Report - Fall 2010 New Generator Gives ODA More Power to get back in and under the water!
Jul 31, 2010 - Special Status & Field Report - Summer 2010 Clearwater Painted and Back in the Water!
Jun 5, 2010 - Special Status & Field Report - Spring 2010 - ODA takes a first-hand look at the BP Oil Spill Disaster in the Gulf of Mexico
May 31, 2010 - Status & Field Report - Spring 2010 - ODA Flagship "Clearwater" gets a much-needed makeover
Apr 11, 2010 - ODA 2010 Fundraiser Recap
Jan 31, 2010 - Status & Field Report - Jan. 2010 - Salvaging Sunken Batteries off Catalina Island
Dec 1, 2009 - 2009 Year End Review
Oct 12, 2009 - Status & Field Report - Oct. 2009 - New-Age Cowboys of the Sea Lasso Killer Net, In Record Time!
Aug 31, 2009 - Status & Field Report - Summer 2009 - Give Fish a Break!
Jul 31, 2009 - Status & Field Report - Summer 2009 - Busy with everything and meeting old friends
Jun 30, 2009 - Status & Field Report - Spring/Summer 2009 - Diving Deep to Clean-up the Caissons
Apr 17, 2009 - Scott Sheckman’s Draft Statement to the DOI/MMS
Jan 31, 2009 - Status & Field Report - Winter 2009 - Raising the Infidel Net
Jul 20, 2008 - Welcome, Clearwater!
Jan 31, 2008 - Status & Field Report - Winter 2008
Dec 31, 2006 - Fall 2006 - Year End Report
Oct 15, 2006 - SSCS & ODA Fundraiser
Jul 31, 2006 - Status & Field Report - Summer 2006
May 31, 2006 - Status & Field Report - Spring 2006
Dec 1, 2005 - Olympic Wreck Mitigation
Oct 31, 2005 - Status & Field Report - Fall 2005
Sep 30, 2005 - Status & Field Report - September 2005
Aug 31, 2005 - Status & Field Report - Summer 2005
May 31, 2005 - Status & Field Report - April & May 2005
Mar 31, 2005 - Status & Field Report - March 2005
Jan 1, 2005 - 2004 Year End Review and Acknowledgements
Dec 31, 2004 - Status & Field Report - December 2004
Nov 30, 2004 - Status & Field Report - November 2004
Oct 31, 2004 - Status & Field Report - October 2004
Sep 30, 2004 - Status & Field Report - Aug. & Sept. 2004
Jul 31, 2004 - Status & Field Report - July 2004