Image Gallery: Monk Seals and Fishhooks, Honolulu Advertiser, 6 May 2009.
Images by Photos by ANDREW SHIMABUKU | The Honolulu Advertiser.

The barbed fishing hook removed from Kermit, next to a non-barbed hook NOAA is encouraging fishers to use. NOAA is giving away free barbless hooks

Press Watch — The Honolulu Advertiser, May 6, 2009

David Schofield, marine mammal response coordinator with NOAA Fisheries, holds up the barbed hook removed Sunday from Kermit the monk seal. NOAA Fisheries is asking fishermen to use nonbarbed fishhooks. ANDREW SHIMABUKU | The Honolulu Advertiser

WAIKIKI — A Hawaiian monk seal that had a fishhook removed from his mouth on Sunday made his way yesterday from Kalaeloa to Queen’s Beach where he sunned himself.

Kermit, as he is called by the Monk Seal Response Team, looked much better yesterday than he did on Sunday, when volunteers and scientists pulled the barbed ulua fishhook from his swollen mouth.

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Press Watch — KGMB9, May 06, 2009

For two weeks Kermit the monk seal has been swimming around with a fish hook in his mouth. But Noaa crews were finally able to catch him and remove them. Kermit was spotted Tuesday enjoying the sun at Queen’s beach. He still has a scar from the hook. Animal experts are urging fisherman to help protect this endangered species and use barbless hooks. [...]

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