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Who We Are

Who We Are

advisor Mash Hatae1I was born and raised in New York but have been in Hawaii for the past 10 years.  I was introduced early into marine conservation when I took a trip out of Tom’s River in New Jersey on a tuna fishing boat and saw the impacts of pollution in the water immediately after boarding the boat.  We literally had to push and pull out debris from around the boat just to depart, due to shifting winds that brought floating trash into the marina.  After learning about how much impact debris has across entire ecosystems, I have always been trying to clean up the oceans!

I currently hold a U.S. Coast Guard issued 100-Ton Captain’s License, and I captain snorkel, sail, dolphin and whale-watching vessels on Oahu. 

advisor Mash Hatae underwaterI have an extensive amount of diving experience as a certified Dive Master and SNUBA Instructor.  My career on the ocean started as a crewmember with Hawaii Nautical; the largest snorkel excursion tour in Hawaii.  My experience on the ocean reflects who I am today: I met my wife on a tour and even married her on the same boat exactly three years later.  Because of this, I feel I owe everything to the ocean that made me who I am. 

In addition to the ocean, I also have a passion for photography and technology.  I studied Computer Sciences at the University of Hawaii and currently work part-time for Lenovo.  I am also a full-time professional wedding and event photographer.  I have shot for Honolulu Magazine, Honolulu Night Market, and my work from Hawaii has been invited and featured at the New York Arts Festival. 

I spend my free time surfing, free-diving, hiking and photographing landscapes.  Although over the past two years, my hobbies and entire life changed when my wife and I had our first child!

advisor Mash Hatae ODA HI logoI was approached by Ocean Defenders Alliance mid 2015 and have been overly excited to spearhead the debris problem here in Hawaii.  It will be my responsibility to recruit and vet crews and volunteers for ODA marine ghost net and abandoned trap retrieval dives and marine wildlife rescue. 

ODA Hawai’i and I will be soliciting resources and equipment from local commercial sources, such as Hawaii Nautical, and will also seek available government funding.  I will fight for a cleaner future for Hawaii’s ocean.

advisor Mash Hatae2advisor Mash Hatae on sailboat