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Team OCEAN Home Web Page
Team OCEAN : Volunteering to conserve Florida's Marine Resources!
Team OCEAN : Join the team to help protect marine resources!
"Team OCEAN" represents a "Team Ocean Conservation Education Action Network". The purpose of Team OCEAN is to promote marine resource conservation throughout Florida while enriching the experience of those who engage in saltwater recreational activities by providing written, verbal, and electronic information about protection of the resources and safe boating through one-on-one personal contact by staff of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), as well as partners and volunteers of those agencies.
Team OCEAN originated as an on-the-water education and information program aimed at protecting the natural marine resources of the Florida Keys, while enriching the experiences of visitors to the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary (FKNMS). It involves the stationing of trained volunteer teams at heavily visited reef sites throughout the Keys during peak recreational boating seasons to educate and inform boaters about the unique nature of the coral reef habitat, share their knowledge of how boaters can approach vulnerable habitats in a non-destructive manner, demonstrate the use of mooring buoys, and provide boating safety information.
The Team OCEAN program has become a highly successful program in the FKNMS. The program has been widely accepted by the local citizens due to their recognition of the effort and its positive effect on their desired protection of the fragile marine resources that are continually subjected to increases in the number of users.
The Team OCEAN program of the FKNMS is the template for Team OCEAN in Collier County, the Nature Coast and the Big Bend areas.
Learn More:
Team OCEAN Apalachee Bay - Coming soon!
Team OCEAN Cedar Key - Coming soon!
Team OCEAN Collier County
PARTNERS
The Team OCEAN volunteer program is managed through the Marine Resource Conservation Partnership (MRCP) between the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). The following public and private organizations have joined the formal partnership with FWC and DEP. Other interested stakeholders, including local, state, and federal government agencies; industry; non-government organizations; and, conservation organizations are welcome to join the partnership.
- Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve
- Isles of Capri Marina
- Keep Collier Beautiful
- Snook Foundation
FUNDING
Funding for Team OCEAN has been provided by the following generous sponsors. Please thank our sponsors when you have the opportunity.
ADVISORY GROUP
The Team OCEAN program of Collier County also receives input from an Advisory Group consisting of the following members.
- Sea Grant Agent of Collier County
- Cedar Bay Yacht Club
- City of Naples
- City of Marco Island
- Collier County
- Marco Island Coast Guard Auxiliary
- DEP Clean Marina Program