Marine debris is a significant challenge facing our ocean and marine wildlife. Debris, including lost or abandoned fishing gear and trash, poses threats to marine life from ingestion or entanglement and it damages habitat quality. Marine debris is an ongoing challenge in our national marine sanctuaries, risking the health of the wonders that sanctuaries are meant to protect.

Removing marine debris and derelict fishing gear restores, protects and enhances marine habitats and ecosystems for the species that rely on them; supports a robust, sustainable tourism industry; and prevents future damage through entanglement, abrasion, and breakage of corals, kelp forests, and other critical ecosystems.

Goal: Clean Seas was established in May 2018 as a community stewardship partnership to remove marine debris between Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation, and Blue Star Dive Operators. Blue Star is a program established by Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary recognizing tour operators who are committed to promoting responsible and sustainable diving, snorkeling, and fishing practices to reduce the impact of these activities on ecosystems in the Florida Keys. 

The Goal: Clean Seas program is unique in that it targets hard to reach, underwater, and/or difficult debris from sensitive habitats without causing undue harm. The work requires training, permits, and dedication from those performing the cleanups. The National Marine Sanctuary Foundation now partners with two sanctuaries, Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary and Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary, to train and equip community partners—local businesses and industries that rely on the marine ecosystem—to conduct specialized removals and empower long-term conservation of these sites. Goal: Clean Seas also engages the public in marine debris awareness and prevention through education and outreach.