Kailua, HI

PAPAHANAUMOKUAKEA MARINE DEBRIS PROJECT INC

EIN 83-4554194

Environment & Animal Welfare Wildlife & Habitat Conservation

Mission

To protect the sensitive wildlife and critical habitats of the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument by removing marine debris, preventing entanglements of protected species, and building capacity for continued large-scale cleanup operations.

IRS-recognized 501(c)(3) public charity Contributions are tax-deductible

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About PAPAHANAUMOKUAKEA MARINE DEBRIS PROJECT INC

Papahānaumokuākea Marine Debris Project, Inc. (PMDP) is a U.S. 501(c)(3) nonprofit focused on large-scale removal of marine debris — primarily derelict fishing gear and plastics — from the remote reefs and shorelines of the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument. Founded in 2019 by long-time NOAA and field operations leaders, the organization conducts ship-based missions, freediving removals, shoreline surveys, and animal disentanglement work in collaboration with federal and state partners. In the last 2–3 years PMDP significantly scaled field operations, completing multiple missions in 2024 and 2025 and achieving a major operational milestone: more than one million pounds of debris removed from the monument since 2020. PMDP also pursues capacity-building grants, partners with NOAA and other conservation funders, and holds state permits for debris removal and wildlife disentanglement.

Notable achievements

1,000,000+ pounds removed

Since 2020 PMDP has led or partnered on repeated large-scale cleanups and reached a cumulative milestone of over one million pounds of marine debris removed from Papahānaumokuākea, the majority of which has been derelict fishing gear.

Record 2024 season

During the 2024 field season PMDP conducted multiple missions resulting in roughly 298,180 pounds removed and multiple record daily and single-trip hauls that accelerated the organization past the million‑pound milestone.

Major capacity grant

PMDP secured a significant capacity-building grant to expand and sustain its removal operations, enabling planned multi-cruise missions and organizational growth.

At a glance

Total assets: $391K
Annual revenue: $3.3M
Tax status: 501(c)(3)Public charity
EIN: 83-4554194
Location: Kailua, HI
Website: www.pmdphawaii.org
On Mahalo since: September 2026

Financial figures from the IRS Business Master File, the IRS’s registry of tax-exempt organizations.

Recognition

Recognized partner of federal and state resource managers — PMDP works alongside NOAA programs and holds permits and cooperative arrangements with monument co-trustees and the State of Hawaiʻi for debris removal and wildlife disentanglement.

Recipient of a major philanthropic grant to scale operations and build organizational capacity.

Extensive local and regional media coverage documenting PMDP’s field missions and impact, including Hawaiʻi-focused news outlets and industry publications.

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