Resource Directories | NOAA Fisheries

2022 Pacific Islands Field Season a Success

An unprecedented year for protected species in the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument.

October 13, 2022 - Research ,

Pacific Islands

A sea turtle and Hawaiian monk seal resting on the sand during a sunny day.

Green sea turtle female “T53” basks (or rests) with a Hawaiian monk seal on Tern Island, Lalo, Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument. Credit: NOAA Fisheries

Monk Seal Behavior Spotlight: Male Dominance Displays

Male Hawaiian monk seals sometimes “cruise” beaches and get into scuffles with one another—and it all has to do with mating.

August 30, 2022 - Science Blog ,

Pacific Islands

Two male Hawaiian monk seals arguing in the water.

Two male monk seals face off at the water’s edge on a Kauaʻi beach. Credit: NOAA Fisheries/Joseph Bennington-Castro

Counting Hawaiian Monk Seals

Learn how NOAA estimates the number of Hawaiian monk seals and accounts for uncertainty in the numbers.

April 28, 2022 - Science Blog ,

Pacific Islands

Two young seals rest on a beach in the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument. Credit: NOAA Fisheries (Permit #22677)

Return to Papahānaumokuākea Field Camps

For some, 2021 provided a long-awaited homecoming; for others, a new adventure.

September 01, 2021 - Science Blog ,

Pacific Islands

Pearl and Hermes field camp setup including 5 tents along the shoreline and numerous bright yellow 5-gallon buckets with food and supplies. Four field campers sit on a driftwood tree near the waterline.

Making a seasonal home on a remote island: These field biologists will spend the summer working hard in Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument at one of NOAA’s seasonal protected species research camps. Photo: NOAA Fisheries.

Keepin' it Reel: When Your Catch of the Day is Not What You Expected

A seal biologist’s experience on the wrong end of the line reminds us that we must be careful when fishing around protected species.

December 04, 2020 - Science Blog ,

Pacific Islands

Hawaiian monk seal RKA6 laying on beach with a hook in its mouth

Hawaiian monk seal RKA6 resting on the beach with a hooked lip. Photo: Gary Langley.

Four Generations of Hawaiian Monk Seals

A surprise discovery tells the story of one female's contribution to a population of endangered Hawaiian monk seals.

April 03, 2020 - Research ,

Pacific Islands

Taking a Deep Dive into a Land-based Threat to Hawaiian Monk Seals

Working together across the sciences to combat toxoplasmosis in wildlife.

November 25, 2019 - Research ,

Pacific Islands

Infographic: A Cat-Borne Threat to Monk Seals: How Toxoplasma gondii makes it way from mountains to ocean.

Infographic of toxoplasma from land to sea.

Field Notes: NOAA Ship Sets out to Collect Field Biologists in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands

The 2019 field season was to retrieve monk seal and sea turtle biologists after three months of research activities in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands.

August 13, 2019 - Survey ,

Pacific Islands

Field Camp Dispatches: Letter from Laysan

Researchers monitor two rehabilitated monk seal pups after release at a Laysan Island field camp in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands.

July 11, 2019 - Research ,

Pacific Islands

Imua! Going Forward Island by Island to Clean Marine Debris

Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Marine Debris Mission 2018

The marine debris team travels to the shores of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands aboard the vessel Imua.

October 30, 2018 - Science Blog ,

Pacific Islands

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