Divers Clean Reefs to Save Marine Life | National Geographic

one of the big problems is is that

one of the big problems is is that fishing line that accumulates on these

fishing line that accumulates on these

fishing line that accumulates on these reefs over time becomes a nasty

reefs over time becomes a nasty

reefs over time becomes a nasty entanglement hazard and it can basically

entanglement hazard and it can basically

entanglement hazard and it can basically entrap all types of marine life and this

entrap all types of marine life and this

entrap all types of marine life and this includes air-breathing animals such as

includes air-breathing animals such as

includes air-breathing animals such as dolphins and turtles and that’s a big

dolphins and turtles and that’s a big

dolphins and turtles and that’s a big motivating factor for us to come out and

motivating factor for us to come out and

motivating factor for us to come out and do our part and to try to clean these

do our part and to try to clean these

do our part and to try to clean these reefs as best possible today we’re

reefs as best possible today we’re

reefs as best possible today we’re sending a group of marine conservation

sending a group of marine conservation

sending a group of marine conservation divers offshore Jacksonville Florida to

divers offshore Jacksonville Florida to

divers offshore Jacksonville Florida to perform a reef cleanup we’re gonna visit

perform a reef cleanup we’re gonna visit

perform a reef cleanup we’re gonna visit three artificial reef sites that happen

three artificial reef sites that happen

three artificial reef sites that happen to be sunken barges and on these barges

to be sunken barges and on these barges

to be sunken barges and on these barges we’re gonna find you know corals and

we’re gonna find you know corals and

we’re gonna find you know corals and sponges and all kinds of fish and

sponges and all kinds of fish and

sponges and all kinds of fish and critters any reef site that’s utilized

critters any reef site that’s utilized

critters any reef site that’s utilized by humans is basically an offshore

by humans is basically an offshore

by humans is basically an offshore destination or an attraction and just

destination or an attraction and just

destination or an attraction and just because people utilize these reefs means

because people utilize these reefs means

because people utilize these reefs means that they’re gonna leave you know some

that they’re gonna leave you know some

that they’re gonna leave you know some of their foot per behind and

of their foot per behind and

of their foot per behind and unfortunately that’s gonna be in the

unfortunately that’s gonna be in the

unfortunately that’s gonna be in the form of trash or say fishing line in

form of trash or say fishing line in

form of trash or say fishing line in fishing lines pretty nasty itself

fishing lines pretty nasty itself

fishing lines pretty nasty itself because generally it’s monofilament

because generally it’s monofilament

because generally it’s monofilament which means it’s clear and it doesn’t

which means it’s clear and it doesn’t

which means it’s clear and it doesn’t break down so you have this

break down so you have this

break down so you have this crystal-clear line down there animals

crystal-clear line down there animals

crystal-clear line down there animals generally can’t see it they get snagged

generally can’t see it they get snagged

generally can’t see it they get snagged up in it it doesn’t biodegrade so it’s

up in it it doesn’t biodegrade so it’s

up in it it doesn’t biodegrade so it’s there forever and it’s just a real nasty

there forever and it’s just a real nasty

there forever and it’s just a real nasty potential hazard we used anything from

potential hazard we used anything from

potential hazard we used anything from stainless steel shears to wire cutters

stainless steel shears to wire cutters

stainless steel shears to wire cutters anything we could to remove this

anything we could to remove this

anything we could to remove this material as best as possible

we brought up literally miles and miles

we brought up literally miles and miles of fishing line and discarded anchor a

of fishing line and discarded anchor a

of fishing line and discarded anchor a lot of monofilament lines which is

lot of monofilament lines which is

lot of monofilament lines which is efficient you know lying down here they

efficient you know lying down here they

efficient you know lying down here they get caught up on these barges and snap

get caught up on these barges and snap

get caught up on these barges and snap the lines off and it just kind of lays

the lines off and it just kind of lays

the lines off and it just kind of lays down there and you can imagine we’re

down there and you can imagine we’re

down there and you can imagine we’re down 50 feet so there’s probably 100

down 50 feet so there’s probably 100

down 50 feet so there’s probably 100 foot Plus every time you pick up the

foot Plus every time you pick up the

foot Plus every time you pick up the piece of line you’ve got 100 feet plus

piece of line you’ve got 100 feet plus

piece of line you’ve got 100 feet plus you got to cut off fishing line found a

you got to cut off fishing line found a

you got to cut off fishing line found a nice couple nice anchors a lot of

nice couple nice anchors a lot of

nice couple nice anchors a lot of fishing line rope and we brought up a

fishing line rope and we brought up a

fishing line rope and we brought up a big chunk of rope we cut all the live

big chunk of rope we cut all the live

big chunk of rope we cut all the live stuff out and we saved what we could in

stuff out and we saved what we could in

stuff out and we saved what we could in a separate storage container with water

a separate storage container with water

a separate storage container with water and kept it all alive stuff like this

and kept it all alive stuff like this

and kept it all alive stuff like this this is live for

this is live for

this is live for I try to save it

I try to save it

I try to save it and it’s actually going to a local

and it’s actually going to a local

and it’s actually going to a local Marine Science Center into Jacksonville

Marine Science Center into Jacksonville

Marine Science Center into Jacksonville University

everybody benefits from this not only

everybody benefits from this not only the environment in real life but us as

the environment in real life but us as

the environment in real life but us as humans and as a community benefit from

humans and as a community benefit from

humans and as a community benefit from this healthy reefs support tourism local

this healthy reefs support tourism local

this healthy reefs support tourism local economy a seafood market and in several

economy a seafood market and in several

economy a seafood market and in several sub industries and those industries and

sub industries and those industries and

sub industries and those industries and in all those that benefit from it will

in all those that benefit from it will

in all those that benefit from it will be negatively effective if we don’t have

be negatively effective if we don’t have

be negatively effective if we don’t have healthy reefs so cleaning our briefs is

healthy reefs so cleaning our briefs is

healthy reefs so cleaning our briefs is important everybody and that’s why we’re

important everybody and that’s why we’re

important everybody and that’s why we’re doing our part