- April 1, 2025
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Divers, kayakers and land-based volunteers took part in Saturday's event.
Kayakers helped the divers by keeping an eye on them and shuttling the materials the divers found to shore.
Ronda Ryan helped explain to land-based "Top Siders'' how to help.
Sgt. Anthony Frangioni, left, and Officer Michael Skinner of the Sarasota Police were on hand.
Sarasota Police boats kept boaters out of the area where divers were working underwater.
Divers buddy up before heading into the water.
Troop 9 of the Girl Scouts from Sarasota County helped. Back row, left, Paula Barros-Peno, Carmalita Ku, Melissa Van-Leer, Alejandra Powell. Front front, Natalia Peno, Faith Grajalez, Reese Foster, Ava Van-Leer, Natalia Powell.
Brian Kelly brings to shore a rod and reel.
Ava Van-Leer shows Jolene Leighton a tiny crab she planned to release back into the water.
Aleaah Echols was ready to return some coral back to the water.
Katie DiBerry worked to untangle a recovered net, so its size could be recorded.
Ben Cappella on his stand-up paddleboard works with a diver below to collect trash.
Natalia Powell checks out tiny crabs in a friend's hand.
More than 90 volunteers on, in and alongside the water gathered at Ken Thompson Park on Saturday, June 8 to clean up New Pass.
Coordinated by Sarasota Bay Watch, with the help of the Sarasota Police, the group got an early start and wasted no time pulling out barnacle-encrusted rods and reels, bike tires, boating equipment and even a cell-phone wallet with a valid drivers license still inside.
Oh, and lots and lots of fishing gear: lost nets, tangles of fishing line, lures and more.
Ronda Ryan, who helped coordinate the effort, said a lot of the line and nets pulled by divers from the water will be disposed of through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Fishing for Energy program, which keeps such materials out of landfills. Nearly 3 million pounds of derelict fishing gear has been disposed this way in the last decade.
Living sea creatures that came ashore tangled in the nets or fishing line were rescued and rapidly released back into the water.
Cleanups and celebrations also were held at Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium and Siesta Key Beach.
