NOAA Ship Oscar Elton Sette arrived back in its homeport of Honolulu on Saturday after a month in Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument. The team of 17 scientists collected nearly 50 metric tons of marine debris, which threatens monk seals, sea turtles and other marine life in the coral reef ecosystem, in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (NWHI). NOAA has conducted annual removal missions of marine debris in the NWHI since 1996 as part of a coral restoration effort. The scientists said they saw no sign of debris from the Japanese tsunami. However, separately, NOAA said they’re…
