PADI Diving Lessons Freediving Lessons

Marine Debris Reporting and Removal Program

Southeast Florida's Marine Debris Reporting and Removal Program

Lauderdale Diver encourages you to document any Marine Debris you observe at
http://www.dep.state.fl.us/coastal/programs/coral/debris1.htm

Reefs within southeast Florida lie adjacent to four of the most densely populated counties of Florida. Recreational use by local divers, fishers, and boaters in these counties has tripled over the last 40 years.

Marine Debris is a widespread problem on southeast Florida coral reefs. Discarded fishing and boating materials (e.g. fishing line, nets, and anchors), plastics (water bottles and bags), household items (chairs) and hurricane related debris (roofing materials) are becoming increasingly more common on southeast Florida reefs. Debris washed by rivers, discarded on beaches, or abandoned by fishers, divers, and boaters can cause damage to sponges and corals, and entangle fish and other reef organisms, resulting in injury or death to these animals. With population growth and human use of southeast Florida reefs on the rise, establishing a program that can minimize the impacts of marine debris is a priority.

  • Create a database to store information reported on location, type and abundance of marine debris.
  • Raise awareness of marine debris and its assorted problems, and encourage prevention by advertising the program on the internet, with stickers and with educational brochures.
  • Organize a reef clean-up event in each of the 4 southeast Florida counties every year. Clean-ups will involve the partnerships of the DEP, FWC, PBCRR, local dive shops, dive charter operators, scuba clubs and local divers.
  • Record the quantity of marine debris removed from southeast Florida reefs during clean-up events.
  • Identify debris "hot spots" (e.g. where debris is concentrated), the reef areas that have been successfully cleaned and those to be targeted in subsequent clean-ups.
  • Provide dive shop and dive charter operators with a "Marine Debris Removal Dive" pre-dive briefing for the marine debris removal dives prior to all clean-up events. The information will include proper marine debris removal techniques to ensure the safety of divers and reef organisms.
  • Raise awareness about the conservation of southeast Florida reefs.

The geographic region encompasses the 105-mile northern extension of Florida reef tract adjacent to the four southeast Florida counties: Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, and Martin. The program focus area includes reefs between the northern boundary of Biscayne National Park and the St. Lucie Inlet.