Did you know you can call the Marine Debris Rapid Response hotline when you see abandoned fishing nets and fishing lines in the ocean? 

In response, the Protected Species Program with Division of Aquatic Resources and its partners will quickly send crews to remove the derelict fishing gear from nearshore reefs and shorelines.

The Department of Land and Natural Resources sent a news release on Wednesday reminding the public to use the hotline (833-4-DA-NETS) and reporting website. 

Removing the fishing gear or marine debris before it washes back into the open ocean can save essential habitats like coral reefs and spare marine animals from getting entangled in it. 

According to the news release, Hawaii has seen an uptick in foreign and domestic fish aggregating devices (known as “FADs”) on the coastline. FADs can be made of a wide range of materials, from plastic to bamboo. Fishers deploy FADs both legally and illegally to attract schools of fish with floating debris objects.