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Waterway Cleanup
Our Vision
Intracoastal and Canals
Goal
Support the Coastal Conservation Association through contributions toward their annual fundraising banquet while also helping The Chapman School of Seamanship create awareness for Youth Programs
Date - June 20th at 11:00am
Logistics
Meet at Fort Lauderdale Sandbar
Continue in a flotilla around the port to Los Olas.
Return to the sand
Goal
Support the Coastal Conservation Association through contributions toward their annual fundraising banquet while also helping The Chapman School of Seamanship create awareness for Youth Programs
Date - June 20th at 11:00am
Logistics
Meet at Fort Lauderdale Sandbar
Continue in a flotilla around the port to Los Olas.
Return to the sandbar and then disperse to perform waterway cleanups for all surrounding waterways including intracoastal, mangroves, beaches, and potentially reefs.
DJ Ice Trae from Big Dog Takle will be on the mic live on the barge!
Parties
We will be hosting 3 networking parties leading up to the event:
1) Carpe Diem Chiropractic (link below)
Mid March. Weekday Evening Schedule
Sponsorships Available
Chiropractors In Fort Lauderdale & Plantation FL | Carpe Diem
2) United Island Yacht ( link below)
Mid April. Weekday Evening Schedule
Sponsorships Available
United Island & Yacht | South Florida, Bahamas, Savannah, Puerto Rico
3) HMY at Bahia Mar Marina ( link below)
Mid May. Weekday Evening Schedule
Sponsorships Available
HMY Yachts | Specializing in New & Used Yacht Sales | HMY Yachts
Bahia Mar Ft. Lauderdale Beach- a DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel - ReservationDesk.com
Intracoastal and Canals
Intracoastal and Canals
Estimated Trash & Plastic Entering Florida Waters
🔹 About 7,000 tons of plastic waste from Florida is estimated to enter its marine environments annually. This figure comes from statewide plastic-pollution studies (plastic only, not all trash combined).
🌍 Global Context (helps understand scale)
🔹 Worldwide, 8–14 million metric tons of p
Estimated Trash & Plastic Entering Florida Waters
🔹 About 7,000 tons of plastic waste from Florida is estimated to enter its marine environments annually. This figure comes from statewide plastic-pollution studies (plastic only, not all trash combined).
🌍 Global Context (helps understand scale)
🔹 Worldwide, 8–14 million metric tons of plastic trash enter the oceans every year — meaning a truckload of plastic dumped into the sea every minute.
Though Florida is just one U.S. state, the 7,000-ton figure fits into this much larger global flow.
Mangroves
Mangroves
🌿 How Trash & Waste Affect Mangroves
Mangroves — like those common along Florida’s coast — are some of the most important coastal ecosystems on Earth. They protect shorelines, store carbon, and provide nursery habitat for fish. But trash and pollution seriously damage them.
Here’s how:
🧵 1. Physical Smothering & Entanglement
- Plastic bags,
🌿 How Trash & Waste Affect Mangroves
Mangroves — like those common along Florida’s coast — are some of the most important coastal ecosystems on Earth. They protect shorelines, store carbon, and provide nursery habitat for fish. But trash and pollution seriously damage them.
Here’s how:
🧵 1. Physical Smothering & Entanglement
- Plastic bags, fishing nets, and bottles get trapped in mangrove roots.
Debris can block sunlight, reducing photosynthesis.
Heavy trash can break branches and damage young seedlings.
Wildlife (fish, crabs, birds) become entangled in plastic caught in roots.
Mangrove roots act like natural “nets,” so they collect floating debris easily.
🧪 2. Chemical Pollution
- Plastics slowly break down into microplastics, which contaminate soil and water.
Trash can leach toxic chemicals (like BPA, heavy metals, oil residues).
These toxins affect mangrove growth and can poison marine life living around the roots.
Mangrove sediments trap pollutants — which helps protect open water — but it also means toxins build up in the ecosystem.
🌊 3. Altered Water Flow & Oxygen Levels
- Large debris blocks tidal flow between roots.
- Reduced water circulation can lower oxygen in the sediment.
- Mangroves rely on oxygen exchange through their specialized aerial roots (pneumatophores). If those get buried or clogged, trees can suffocate.
🐟 4. Harm to Wildlife Nurseries
Mangroves serve as nursery habitats for:
- Fish, Shrimp, Crabs, Birds, Manatees
When trash accumulates: - Juvenile fish ingest microplastics.
Toxins move up the food chain.
Biodiversity declines.
🌎 5. Increased Erosion & Climate Impact
Healthy mangroves:
- Prevent shoreline erosion
Store large amounts of “blue carbon”
Buffer storm surge
When waste weakens mangroves: - Roots die off
Shorelines become unstable
Carbon storage decreases
This makes coastal areas more vulnerable to hurricanes and sea-level rise.
Reefs
Mangroves
🪸 How Trash Affects Reefs in Florida
Florida is home to the only extensive coral reef tract in the continental U.S. — the Florida Reef Tract, stretching from the Miami area through the Florida Keys. Trash and marine debris seriously harm these fragile ecosystems.
Here’s how:
🧵 1. Entanglement & Physical Damage
- Fishing lines, nets, and pla
🪸 How Trash Affects Reefs in Florida
Florida is home to the only extensive coral reef tract in the continental U.S. — the Florida Reef Tract, stretching from the Miami area through the Florida Keys. Trash and marine debris seriously harm these fragile ecosystems.
Here’s how:
🧵 1. Entanglement & Physical Damage
- Fishing lines, nets, and plastic straps get tangled on coral.
- Waves drag debris across reefs, breaking coral branches.
- Heavy items (like anchors or large trash) can crush coral colonies.
Coral grows slowly — sometimes only inches per year — so physical damage can take decades to recover.
🐠 2. Wildlife Injury & Death
Reefs are home to:
- Reef fish, Sea turtles, lobsters, Sharks.
Trash causes:
- Animals eating plastic, mistaking it for food.
Internal blockages and starvation.
Entanglement leading to drowning or infection.
When reef species decline, the whole ecosystem becomes unstable.
🧪 3. Chemical Pollution & Microplastics
- Plastics break down into microplastics that settle into reef sediments.
- Toxins from plastics (like additives and absorbed pollutants) stress coral.
- Studies show microplastics can:
- Reduce coral feeding
- Lower growth rates
- Increase disease risk
Corals already face stress from warming waters and bleaching — trash adds another layer of pressure.
🦠 4. Increased Disease
Plastic debris on reefs has been linked to higher rates of coral disease because:
- Plastics create surfaces where harmful bacteria thrive.
- Direct contact between plastic and coral increases infection risk.
Diseased coral loses tissue and may die, reducing reef coverage.
🌊 5. Reduced Coastal Protection
Healthy reefs:
- Absorb wave energy
- Protect shorelines from storms
- Support tourism and fisheries
Damaged reefs mean:
- Greater erosion
- Higher storm damage costs
- Economic losses for Florida’s coastal communities
⚠️ Why It’s Especially Concerning in Florida
Florida’s reefs are already stressed by:
- Rising ocean temperatures
- Coral bleaching events
- Pollution and runoff
Marine debris adds to this cumulative stress, making reef survival harder each year.
Coastal Conservation Association Annual Banquet
Become a sponsor today!
Click on the picture to the right to purchase a banquet ticket and view our sponsorship programs.
Our Partners
