The Nationwide Marine Sanctuary Basis just lately introduced a milestone, with the removing of 100,000 kilos of marine particles from NOAA’s Florida Keys Nationwide Marine Sanctuary via the Aim: Clear Seas Florida Keys program.
For scale, that’s greater than the burden of: two humpback whales, three full-sized college buses or 50 Southernmost Level concrete buoys in Key West.
Established in 2018, Aim: Clear Seas Florida Keys is a community-led partnership amongst the sanctuary, the inspiration and native dive operators to take away marine particles from the waters of the Keys and interact and educate the general public about its position in marine particles prevention.
“Aim: Clear Seas is an amazing partnership that we’ve got with Florida Keys Nationwide Marine Sanctuary. I’m past pleased with the Blue Star Dive Operators and each the skilled and leisure divers for engaging in this monumental feat,” stated Cortney Benson, marine particles removing stewardship coordinator on the basis. “This work actually makes a distinction not just for the reefs and biodiversity below the water, however for the recreation financial system of the Keys, which depend on thriving sanctuary ecosystems.”
The thought for Aim: Clear Seas Florida Keys got here from the Keys group and with their stewardship this system has flourished, stated Marlies Tumolo, crew lead for training and outreach on the sanctuary.
“I’m so pleased with the work of our companions, Blue Star Diving Operators and the person divers who’ve had large conservation impacts in Florida Keys Nationwide Marine Sanctuary.”
Aim: Clear Seas Florida Keys works with sanctuary-recognized Blue Star Diving Operators to coach each skilled and leisure divers on greatest practices for removing of marine particles from protected waters; determine particles hotspots; take away, eliminate or recycle underwater particles; conduct post-removal knowledge reporting and evaluation; and interact the general public in marine particles consciousness and prevention.
Over the previous six years,18 collaborating dive retailers have accomplished greater than 1,500 Aim: Clear Seas Florida Keys dives funded via the inspiration and permitted by NOAA’s Workplace of Nationwide Marine Sanctuaries and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Fee, with almost 8,000 leisure divers collaborating.
Marine particles is likely one of the biggest challenges going through oceans. Marine particles threatens marine wildlife and delicate habitats and may create security and navigational hazards for recreation, tourism and fishing and pose dangers to animals via ingestion or entanglement.
Essentially the most generally eliminated particles objects embrace fishing line, material rope, fishing sinkers, lures, hooks, wooden/entice fragments, plastic and nylon rope, derelict fishing traps, fishing rods and poles, aluminum beverage cans, wire mesh and steel entice fragments.
Blue Star Diving Operators which have participated within the Aim: Clear Seas Florida Keys program embrace Amoray Dive Middle, Captain’s Nook Dive Middle, Captain Hook’s, Conch Republic Divers, The Dive Store at Ocean Reef, DiveN2Life, Finz Dive Middle, Florida Keys Dive Middle, Eternally Younger Constitution Firm, Horizon Divers, Islamorada Dive Middle, Island Ventures, Key Dives, Longtab Charters, Misplaced Reef Adventures, Pirates Cove Watersports, Quiescence Diving Providers, Rainbow Reef Dive Middle, Sail Fish Scuba, Sea Base (Boy Scouts of America), Sea Dwellers Dive Middle, Silent World Dive Middle and Southpoint Divers.
All removing work accomplished was within the sanctuary and performed below permits from the sanctuary and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Fee.