On June 14, Sarasota Bay Watch and a dedicated team of volunteers gathered along Sarasota’s Bayfront for a large-scale underwater and shoreline cleanup aimed at protecting local waterways and wildlife.
The cleanup area stretched from the 10th Street Boat Ramp south to the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, bringing together a remarkable team of community partners and volunteers. At 9:30 a.m., 21 divers entered the water alongside 21 shoreline volunteers, supported by four boats, two jet skis, and a kayaker. Working together, they searched for and removed marine debris from both the water and shoreline.
While debris was collected from throughout the cleanup zone, volunteers found that most of the trash was concentrated along the shoreline rather than underwater. This aligns with a well-known environmental challenge: approximately 80% of marine debris originates on land before eventually making its way into our waterways.
Removing marine debris is critical for protecting Sarasota Bay’s ecosystem. Discarded fishing line, plastics, and other trash can entangle birds, fish, sea turtles, and other marine life, often causing injury or death. Throughout the event, topside volunteers worked closely with divers to transport collected debris to a central staging area where it was sorted, measured, weighed, and prepared for disposal. Any marine life found trapped in debris was carefully released back into the water.
This cleanup was made possible through the support of several community partners. Sarasota Bay Watch extends its gratitude to the City of Sarasota for providing a dumpster for debris disposal; the Sarasota Police Department for supplying boats and personnel to maintain a safe perimeter for divers; the Sarasota Police Dive Team; Scuba Quest; Gecko’s Hospitality Group; and the Sarasota Bay Estuary Program.
Perhaps the most encouraging outcome of the day was what volunteers did not find. Compared to many previous underwater cleanups, divers reported significantly less debris beneath the surface. Even more notably, no entangled birds, fish, or other wildlife were discovered during the event.
While there is always more work to be done, these results suggest that ongoing cleanup efforts, public education, and increased community awareness are having a positive impact. Every cleanup helps restore habitat, improve water quality, and inspire responsible stewardship of Sarasota Bay.
Together, we are proving that a healthy bay is everybody’s business.