Hack-A-Thon competition launched to protect marine life, coral reefs

Competition seeks individuals or teams to develop innovative cutting tools to remove derelict fishing nets from Hawai‘i’s marine environment

(Honolulu, HI) –June 17, 2025, the Papahānaumokuākea Marine Debris Project (PMDP) and the University of Hawai‘i Sea Grant College Program (Hawai‘i Sea Grant) announced the launch of the Marine Debris Hack-A-Thon, a cutting-edge challenge which calls on individuals or teams to develop new, innovative tools that can be used to cut and remove derelict fishing nets.

Derelict fishing gear, often referred to as “ghost gear,” poses a severe risk to marine life, coral reefs, and coastal communities. Current methods for removal are often labor-intensive and limited by existing tool capabilities. This Hack-A-Thon competition seeks to harness the collective ingenuity of Hawaiʻi’s brightest minds to develop cutting-edge solutions that can make a tangible difference in ocean conservation efforts. Specifically, this competition challenges participants to design and develop next-generation tools engineered to more efficiently cut and remove derelict fishing nets from marine environments.

“This isn’t just a competition, it’s a challenge to push the boundaries of technology,” said Derek LeVault, Quartermaster at PMDP. “We are in constant collaboration with other organizations and interested parties in our field, but the Hack-A-Thon provides a good opportunity to reach beyond that and find some real innovative solutions to our marine debris cutting problems. And failing that, it’s still going to be a really fun competition anyway! Well over 100,000 pounds of marine debris accumulate each year in Papahānaumokākea, with some individual conglomerates of net weighing several tons each. There is scarcely time to find and collect it all in a few short missions. Gaining efficiency in cutting the masses of marine debris will free up time to go search for more, resulting in a cleaner sanctuary and less ensnared marine life such as turtles, seals, sharks, and the coral reef itself.”

To participate, individuals or teams must use this submission form to either upload a video (under 2 minutes) or a short, written document (maximum 1 page) that introduces yourselves and your proposed tool, focusing on the innovation and the team behind the concept.

Submissions are due by July 31, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. HST.

On Saturday, December 13, 2025, the participants will have the opportunity to showcase their designs and compete for the title of Hack-A-Thon Champion at a celebration at the Waikīkī Aquarium. The grand prize winner will be announced immediately following the celebration.

Additional information on the grand prize, design requirements, event participation, registration, and more will be available soon. In the meantime, interested individuals and teams are encouraged to contact Derek LeVault derek@pmdphawaii.org with any questions.

For ongoing updates and details, visit: https://www.pmdphawaii.org/hackathon