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NewsWSVN 7 MiamiAugust 29, 2026Miami-Dade

Divers remove 1,000 pounds of debris from artificial reefs near Fort Walton Beach

A cleanup crew removed over 1,000 pounds of debris, including 12 miles of fishing line, from ten artificial reef sites off the coast of Destin-Fort Walton Beach. The mission was a partnership between the county’s natural resources team and the organization Force Blue.

environmentmarine conservationwaste managementwildlife protection
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Why It Matters

The removal of debris, particularly discarded fishing line, reduces entanglement risks for marine life such as sea turtles in the local ecosystem.

Key Facts

  • Over 1,000 pounds of debris were removed from ten artificial reef sites.
  • The debris included 12 miles of discarded fishing line.
  • The operation was a partnership between the county’s natural resources team and Force Blue.
  • This event marked the sixth reef cleanup mission conducted by the teams together.
  • Discarded fishing line poses a documented entanglement risk to marine life, including sea turtles.
  • A Kemp’s ridley sea turtle was recently rescued from fishing line in Navarre Beach.

Who's Mentioned

organizationSunbeam Television Corp“Copyright holder of the article”personCheri Dexter“Diver participating in the cleanup”locationDestin-Fort Walton Beach“Area where artificial reef sites are located”organizationForce Blue“Organization partnering with the county for the cleanup”locationNavarre Beach“Location of a recent sea turtle rescue”personDanielle Lasseigne“Diver participating in the cleanup”locationFort Walton Beach“Location of the cleanup operation”