NOAA divers work to free an entangled endangered Hawaiian monk seal caught in a ghost net in the Northwest Hawaiian Islands.

A derelict crab pot on an Aleutian Island Beach

Appears to be hemp rope on a black sand Aleutian Island beach.

Masked boobies unknowingly risking entanglement on deteriorating rope.

A Hawaiian monk seal entangled on a large fishing float.

Plastic debris washed at the high tide line. Marine birds, turtles, and other creatures can not differentiate these materials from various foods and sometimes die from ingesting plastic.

A ghost net and other marine debris. The net material deteriorates very slowly and can ensnare unsuspecting marine life years after being lost.

Who knows what sort of toxic materials are still encased in these drums. Eventually they will break open and spill their contents into the sea.

World War II debris? Remains of a shipwreck? An otherwise pristine reef is besmirched with marine debris.

A print of the Beaufort Marine Laboratory as it looked in the 1930's. C. M. Hoss was the artist.

An agglomeration of king crabs

Yellowfin tuna caught on NOAA Fisheries research vessel

Measuring a lobster (Homarus americanus)

Sorting squid at the sorting table on the stern of the ALBATROSS IV

A giant lobster (Homarus americanus) on the stern of the ALBATROSS IV.

Carefully holding a large lobster (Homarus americanus) on the stern of the ALBATROSS IV.

Showing off a goosefish

Another giant lobster (Homarus americanus) on the stern of the ALBATROSS IV.

A large sawfish brought alongside for tagging. The rostrum is the protruding " saw" and its tooth-like appendages are called "denticles."

Native America artisanal salmon fishing

Native America artisanal salmon fishing

Native America artisanal salmon fishing

An odd bit of marine debris floating off the coast of American Samoa. Photo #1 of sequence.

On close inspection, it proves to be an abandoned refrigerator. Photo #2 of sequence.

An experiment in flotation proves an abandoned refrigerator could serve as a lifeboat in dire circumstances. Photo #3 of sequence.

As the abandoned sailor drifts out to sea, the old adage that you shouldn't ever get in an abandoned refrigerator is proved true once again. Photo #4 of sequence.

Besides driftwood, there is human produced marine debris on this seemingly pristine section of coastline.

Tangled nets are found on a black rock beach. These nets while in the water pose a significant danger to marine life as, although lost and abandoned, they can continue ensnaring birds, turtles, and fish.

Inspecting an abandoned and lost net on the beach.

Small bits of plastic and metallic debris on what should be a pristine shoreline .

Virtually indestructible pieces of plastic fouling a black rock beach on the island of Hawaii. Smaller pieces of plastic are often mistaken for food and ingested by marine birds, sea turtles, and fish and can kill the unsuspecting animals.

Virtually indestructible pieces of plastic fouling a black rock beach on the island of Hawaii. Smaller pieces of plastic are often mistaken for food and ingested by marine birds, sea turtles, and fish and can kill the unsuspecting animals.

Plastic debris littering Hawaiian shoreline. Hawaii is located near the center of the North Pacific gyre where debris tends to concentrate.

Plastic debris littering Hawaiian shoreline. Hawaii is located near the center of the North Pacific gyre where debris tends to concentrate.

Virtually indestructible pieces of plastic fouling a black rock beach on the island of Hawaii. Smaller pieces of plastic are often mistaken for food and ingested by marine birds, sea turtles, and fish and can kill the unsuspecting animals.

Tangled nets are found on a black rock beach. These nets while in the water pose a significant danger to marine life as, although lost and abandoned, they can continue ensnaring birds, turtles, and fish.

CTD operations off the BELL M. SHIMADA in the eastern tropical Pacific

CTD operations off the BELL M. SHIMADA in the eastern tropical Pacific

CTD operations off the BELL M. SHIMADA in the eastern tropical Pacific

Ocean Beach recreational fishing pier

Flo's Clam Shack - famous for clams since 1936.

Testing the Eagle Ray AUV ( Autonomous underwater vehicle) from the NOAA Ship HENRY BIGELOW. This instrument is capable of operating at 2200 meters depth, has a multi-beam sonar system, conductivity-temperature-depth sensor (CTD ), and can mount mission specific instruments.

Testing the Eagle Ray AUV ( Autonomous underwater vehicle) from the NOAA Ship HENRY BIGELOW. This instrument is capable of operating at 2200 meters depth, has a multi-beam sonar system, conductivity-temperature-depth sensor (CTD ), and can mount mission specific instruments.

Testing the Eagle Ray AUV ( Autonomous underwater vehicle) from the NOAA Ship HENRY BIGELOW. This instrument is capable of operating at 2200 meters depth, has a multi-beam sonar system, conductivity-temperature-depth sensor (CTD ), and can mount mission specific instruments.

Testing the Eagle Ray AUV ( Autonomous underwater vehicle) from the NOAA Ship HENRY BIGELOW. This instrument is capable of operating at 2200 meters depth, has a multi-beam sonar system, conductivity-temperature-depth sensor (CTD ), and can mount mission specific instruments.

Testing the Eagle Ray AUV ( Autonomous underwater vehicle) from the NOAA Ship HENRY BIGELOW. This instrument is capable of operating at 2200 meters depth, has a multi-beam sonar system, conductivity-temperature-depth sensor (CTD ), and can mount mission specific instruments.

Testing the Eagle Ray AUV ( Autonomous underwater vehicle) from the NOAA Ship HENRY BIGELOW. This instrument is capable of operating at 2200 meters depth, has a multi-beam sonar system, conductivity-temperature-depth sensor (CTD ), and can mount mission specific instruments.

Testing the Eagle Ray AUV ( Autonomous underwater vehicle) from the NOAA Ship HENRY BIGELOW. This instrument is capable of operating at 2200 meters depth, has a multi-beam sonar system, conductivity-temperature-depth sensor (CTD ), and can mount mission specific instruments.

Testing the Eagle Ray AUV ( Autonomous underwater vehicle) from the NOAA Ship HENRY BIGELOW. This instrument is capable of operating at 2200 meters depth, has a multi-beam sonar system, conductivity-temperature-depth sensor (CTD ), and can mount mission specific instruments.

Testing the Eagle Ray AUV ( Autonomous underwater vehicle) from the NOAA Ship HENRY BIGELOW. This instrument is capable of operating at 2200 meters depth, has a multi-beam sonar system, conductivity-temperature-depth sensor (CTD ), and can mount mission specific instruments.