By ODA Maui Volunteer Dive Team Coordinator Lloyd Johnson

Several years ago, our ODA Maui crew adopted the beautiful La Perouse Bay as a debris site that we return to regularly to remove abandoned recreational fishing gear.

La Perouse is the site of Maui’s most recent lava flow. The bay is located in the Ahihi-Kinau Natural Area Reserve, which features lava from the last eruption of Haleakalā, around 1790. The dramatic, rugged lava fields give the area a stark, otherworldly look and make it a geologic treasure.

Earlier this month on May 5th, a partnership of Ocean Defenders Alliance (ODA), Maui Mantas, and Prodiver Maui collected over 100 pounds of fishing tackle from this bay.

Volunteers included Mike Badano, James Bouknight, Michael Dougan, Bobby John, Lloyd Johnson, David Kauhaahaa, Evan Marcus-Rotman, Cassie Pali, and Ned Sullivan.  Benja Iglesias was our photographer, and our boat captain was Jonathan Lata. 

OOur crew worked to carefully untangle fishing line from the corals.

We put the collected ghost gear into a crate and sent it to the surface using a float bag.

The sea was rough at the end of our first dive, so we cancelled the planned second dive, gathered our plunder, and headed back to port.

All in all, it was a pretty good “catch of the day” – 500 feet of fishing line, 50 hooks, and 110 pounds of lead weights.

Thanks to our supporters, La Perouse Bay is safe again for wildlife!

Check out our Hawai'i page to see all about this active ODA location!