The Ebiil Society is a nonprofit located in Palau, an island in Oceania, that aims to restore marine habitats, support women in fisheries, and run youth and teacher programs based on traditional knowledge. The organization began in 2005, when a group of local anglers and elders came together to help protect the local environment, inspired by reports of abandoned gear tangling within the mangroves and impacting seagrass beds. Today, the team is made up of seven board members and 10 staff that work to recover derelict fishing gear, revive local ecosystems, and reconnect the community with traditional stewardship practices.
As a project partner of the National TRAP program, the Ebiil Society recovers derelict gear within the areas of Ngarchelong, Ngiwal, Airai, and Ngatpang in Palau. The team targets derelict mangrove crab traps and abandoned giant clam farms, both of which are subsistence fishing methods in this region. There are currently no regulations surrounding the removal of subsistence fishing gear from the ocean once locals have finished harvesting – meaning that these traps and clam farms are often abandoned in the water once anglers are finished with a season.
Mangrove crab pots are mostly found in – you guessed it – mangrove forests! The Ebiil Society likes to target these traps on clear, sunny days, where the team can spot abandoned pots by visual survey alone. If water clarity decreases due to rain or overcast skies, sidescan sonar is used as an alternative. These efforts are supported by local mangrove fishermen, who are eager to remove derelict gear from the water, but often hesitate to recover crab traps on their own because they do not want to disturb other trappers’ personal property. This project has given them the guidance and confidence to take part in trap retrieval without worry. Since the beginning of their retrieval efforts funded by the TRAP program, the Ebiil Society has removed 64 abandoned mangrove crab traps.
Removing abandoned giant clam farms has proven to be a much more intensive effort. These structures can span up to 20 by 30 feet and are often anchored with heavy rebar driven deep into the seafloor. One clam farm alone can take more than two hours to dismantle, with each removal hauling out over 200 pounds of debris, including torn plastic mesh, broken juvenile clams trays, and metal framework. Some of the old farms still have mesh nets, which are known to entangle hawksbill sea turtles. While some former clam farmers have been supportive, others have resisted, hoping to one day restart their operations. However, the giant footprint of these giant clam farms often intrudes on seagrass beds – critical habitat traditionally stewarded and fished by women in the community. The Ebiil Society has removed 16 giant clam farms through the TRAP Program’s funding.
The local community has become a vital partner in the Ebiil Society’s work. Word-of-mouth has been the most effective outreach tool, and thanks to this growing awareness, locals are increasingly offering their support and personal knowledge. Once viewed with suspicion, the Ebiil Society’s work is now celebrated – volunteers help with retrievals, local fishers share trap locations, and community members are starting to recognize the damage caused by abandoned gear. Following the conclusion of this project, the team would like to present their findings to state governors and advocate for a clause to be added to subsistence fishing permits requiring fishers to remove gear that is no longer in use.
