What We Do

Ocean Defenders Alliance (ODA) exists to give people like you a way to clean our oceans!

ODA is funded by donations big and small from individuals and companies who are concerned about the problem of marine debris and want to be part of the solution.

The active work of cleaning our coastal waters and shorelines is done by a myriad of ODA volunteers of all ages from all walks of life. Young and old, people who are technical divers and those who can’t even swim, all come together with a common purpose: To work towards debris-free seas!

If you’re just learning of us, you’ll be glad to know we’ve been around a long time. Founded in 2000 by people just like you, and based in Orange County, California, ODA is a marine conservation organization and became a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit in 2002.

In general, the Hawaiian Islands are known as the “paradise islands.” We agree they’re incredibly beautiful.  These islands deserve our stewardship and care especially because their beaches and waters are marred by abandoned fishing gear—both commercial and recreational—as well as plastic and “gyre-type” pollution.

In 2016, due to the great need for ocean cleanups, Ocean Defender Alliance (ODA) began working in Hawai’i. We kicked off our debris-removal work in Oahu with the help of long-time friend Stephen Boreman, Esq., his nephew Mash Hatae, Vicki Szymczak, and friends from the University of Hawai’i who are very concerned about the health of their local waters.

Since that time, ODA-Hawai’i has expanded significantly, with dozens of volunteers participating in ocean cleanups on Oahu and the Big Island, with Maui to be added in early 2022.

Debris

Because the coastal waters of Hawai’i are generally very deep, it’s quite different from the work we do off the coast of California where we can dive 35-100 feet and remove debris that’s sitting on the ocean floor.

The way the ocean currents flow, most ghost gear collects in the Pacific Gyre (garbage patch), but some spins out and washes ashore. Often, we remove very large quantities of fishing net from beaches along with fishing ropes and other garbage. Occasionally, we also find fishing equipment such as nets floating at sea, and regularly we find recreational fishing lines and toxic lead weights on the coral-laiden underwater cliffs and near-shore bottoms. ODA-Hawai’i is also expert at removing debris from harbors, bays, and inlets.

 

Who We Are

Ocean Defenders Alliance works to clean and protect marine ecosystems through documentation, education, and meaningful action. Working with affected communities, we focus primarily on the reduction and removal of man-made debris which poses serious threats to ocean wildlife and habitats.

Our monthly dives in Oahu waters from the Island Divers Hawai’i boat always see full crews; we’ve had over a hundred different divers participate.  Our Oahu coordinators and Advisory Board Members are Glenn Roberts (Dive team coordinator) and Temple Liebmann (Volunteer Coordinator) and Gary Liebmann (Dive Master).

Volunteer Opportunities

Be sure to sign-up for our email list so we can let you know when opportunities to participate in ODA cleanups arise.

Also, you can regularly check the list of volunteer opportunities on our ODA-Hawai’i Activities page.

 

We’d love to have your help in Hawai’i, whether on a beach or on a boat or helping with outreach. Check out all the types of volunteering on our Get Involved page.

Cause Areas

Environmental Conservation