1. High schooler conducted free diving daily in Kāneʻohe Bay to study green sea turtles afflicted with fibropapillomatosis.
2. Discovered that wastewater pollution from cesspools on Oahu was causing the spread of fibropapillomatosis.
3. Urging Hawaii to address issue by replacing cesspools with wastewater treatment facilities to protect marine ecosystems.
A high schooler who spent his days caring for fish tanks and free diving in Kāneʻohe Bay made a disturbing discovery – green sea turtles with cauliflower-like tumors. These tumors were identified as fibropapillomatosis (FP), a disease affecting up to 97% of sea turtles. As scientists did not fully understand the disease’s spread, the high schooler, now 18, launched a two-and-a-half year investigation to uncover the cause.
Through diving and analyzing algae samples in the bay, he discovered a link between FP and wastewater pollution. The invasive algae in the bay absorbed sewage and converted nitrogen into arginine, which triggered the herpesvirus causing FP in sea turtles. He determined that getting rid of cesspools and diverting wastewater to treatment facilities was crucial to preserve marine ecosystems.
The high schooler’s findings won him the Peggy Scripps Award for Science Communication and emphasized the urgency of addressing wastewater pollution in Hawaii. While the state has legislation protecting cesspools until 2050, the student researcher advocates for immediate action to prevent environmental devastation. His work serves as a call to government intervention to protect sea turtles and maintain the health of marine ecosystems.