National Save The Sea Turtle Foundation’s Coastal Cleanup Program Still Afloat

Over three decades ago, the founding members of the Foundation’s Board of Directors became very concerned with the seemingly ever-degrading condition of the natural environment in their beloved Florida Keys. They realized that they could make a real difference with tools at their disposal, and developed the idea into one of the most successful non-profit sea turtle-related conservation organizations in the world. Since then, the Foundation has maintained a number of donated boats for use in coastal cleanup projects from Broward County all the way through Key West. One of the Foundation’s primary goals is to make the best use of the donated vessels while they are temporarily owned by the Foundation. Currently, the Foundation maintains two research vessels, the Hawksbill I and Hawksbill II that are used for various projects that range from the Florida Hawksbill Project to FWC’s nesting surveys in the Marquesas Keys to hosting university-based game-fish research. Due primarily to covid-related restrictions last year, however, most of the hosted research projects were cancelled, so the National Save The Sea Turtle Foundation’s Marine Operations Manager, Captain Mike Osborne, and his associate Captain Troy Phillips doubled-up on their efforts to collect trash and marine debris from the waters around Key West.