Skiers Island Cleanup Volunteers Group Photo

Sixth Annual Skiers Island Cleanup: April 2, 2016

We successfully completed our 6th Annual Cleanup of Skiers Island with the Riverview High School Marine Club and National Honor Society with over 30 students and 7 adults.

Approximately 100 pounds of trash, 60 pounds of recyclables, along with derelict fishing gear was collected. Our work with the invasive Carrotwood continued while volunteers cut a trail across the island, thus making it possible to navigate the island from north to south.

We are finding that our past cleanup efforts are paying off. The last two years have required less trash collection, yeah! Of course, no spoil island cleanup is complete without chairs, tennis balls, single flip flops, visors, cooler tops, beer cans, water bottles, and fishing bobbers.

Katrin Rudge and Noreen Ekstrom once again rallied their students to take care of this island. Four Sarasota Bay Watch volunteers offered boats to shuttle the group and the ‘clean up treasure’. Ace Hardware made sure that we have enough tools and bags to do the job.

Sarasota Bay Watch is collecting derelict fishing gear and evaluating its presence and impact for data collection and research.

Despite the weather warnings we enjoyed a cool overcast day and were home before the weather hit.