Captains For Clean Water was founded out of necessity and with a singular mission: Restore the Everglades, save Florida’s water. By remaining focused on this mission and the objectives required to quickly and effectively achieve it, the organization has grown a large, active supporter base that shares their views [ Read more ]
WHAT IS THE SKIFF CHALLENGE? The idea of the Skiff Challenge began as a head-to-head battle for bragging rights, born from the mind of Heath Daughtry, VP of Yellowfin Yachts. Today, the challenge has evolved into a daring feat among boat manufacturers to shine a spotlight on Florida’s water [ Read more ]
"You do work for the taxpayers. And we all expect a little better." - Chauncey Goss Only a few short months ago, our board member, Chauncey Goss, stood before the corrupt SFWMD Governing Board and spoke these words. The South Florida Water Management District is a powerful government agency, responsible [ Read more ]
Hypersalinity. Sediment destabilization. Nutrient release. To the general population, these words are “science speak.” Without context or real-world examples, they are meaningless. To water bodies like Florida Bay, these words are actually ecological occurrences that are wreaking havoc on the ecosystem. They are a byproduct of the way [ Read more ]
Listen in on a round table discussion about the future of the Everglades. Featuring Steve Davis, Ph.D., Senior Ecologist of the Everglades Foundation, Captain Benny Blanco, professional fishing guide based in Flamingo, and Captain Chris Whitman, Program Director of Captains For Clean Water, sit down with Captain Tom Rowland [ Read more ]
Two days into his term, Governor Ron DeSantis called for the resignations of the nine-member South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) governing board. This act followed public backlash against decisions made by the board that favored special interests and disregarded public pleas. Four board members have resigned and five [ Read more ]
Listen in on a round table discussion about the future of the Everglades. Featuring Capt. Josh Greer, fishing guide and shop owner, Capt. Daniel Andrews, Executive Director of Captains for Clean Water, and Shannon Estenoz, COO of the Everglades Foundation.
It was a big day for the Everglades and Florida’s waters. On his second day in office since being sworn in, Governor Ron DeSantis announced new water policies and took the first steps toward what promises to be huge progress for Everglades restoration. Gov. DeSantis started the day at [ Read more ]
The South Florida Water Management District is responsible for managing and protecting water resources of South Florida. As an agency funded partially by taxpayer dollars, it is their responsibility to operate in a manner that takes the public's interests into consideration; especially when their decisions affect the fate of [ Read more ]
Captain Daniel Andrews fishes with Captain Tom Rowland, catching tarpon, hammerhead, and permit, and talks Florida water quality issues. Watch it on Saltwater Experience, Episode 2, Season 14, only on WaypointTV.
The Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP), passed in 2000, included a series of 68 projects that were supposed to be completed within thirty years. Most of the significant features to reduce discharges from Lake Okeechobee and rehydrate the Everglades were to be completed within the first twenty years. Instead, [ Read more ]
The Governing Board of the South Florida Water Management District voted unanimously to grant Florida Crystals an eight-year lease extension to grow sugarcane on 15,440 acres of state-owned land. That parcel located south of Lake Okeechobee is also slated to be the site for a new reservoir critical [ Read more ]
In October 2018, Hurricane Michael went down as one of the most powerful storms in history, completely devastating Florida’s panhandle as a Category 4 hurricane. Areas of the coast were flattened and flooded, leaving communities without power and people still without homes. In the Southeast U.S., we’ve unfortunately become [ Read more ]
The South Florida Water Management District Governing Board is preventing Everglades restoration and clean water in favor of special interests. On November 7, 2018 at 9:00pm, the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD), the agency responsible for Everglades restoration, amended the agenda for their Governing Board meeting that was [ Read more ]
Dear Supporters, Florida’s water crisis this year quickly became one of the most important issues of the 2018 election. Since Captains for Clean Water is a 501(c)(3) organization, the IRS prohibits us from getting involved in elections by endorsing or opposing candidates. For us, the hard work begins immediately [ Read more ]
It’s a sunny October day on Florida Bay, a place that feels as if it’s the edge of the world. The wind is blowing out of the east making it a rough commute for a fleet of six 17-foot Hell’s Bay skiffs departing the Flamingo Marina. Aboard each boat [ Read more ]
Just weeks after the U.S. Senate passed the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) by a landslide vote of 99 to 1, the President has signed this critical bill into law.This legislation authorizes the EAA Reservoir, but we still need to get the federal funding for construction to begin. This victory [ Read more ]
‘Deep injection wells’ is a term you may have heard lately as it relates to Lake Okeechobee water levels. Here is what it all means. Deep injection wells have been proposed by the South Florida Water Management District, under the guise of “emergency estuary protection wells” (EEPWs), as a [ Read more ]
Since Captains for Clean Water was founded in 2016, the organization’s supporter base has expanded at an unbelievable rate. This comes as no surprise with water crisis after water crisis causing environmental destruction and affecting millions of Florida residents and businesses. People are fed up watching history repeat itself [ Read more ]
Florida’s estuaries are at tremendous risk. Since early July, Florida’s water crisis has made its way to many of the major national news outlets. First, the cyanobacteria blooms discharged from Lake Okeechobee into the Caloosahatchee and St. Lucie Rivers made made the news due to the health risks for [ Read more ]
It wasn't us. It was the power of the people. The Caloosahatchee and St. Lucie Rivers continue to be devastated by toxic cyanobacteria blooms. Businesses are severely affected. Real estate values are at stake. Many people living near the water have developed upper respiratory illnesses from exposure to the [ Read more ]
Fishing has long been a unifying, bond-building activity; and it’s this theme that made the 13th Annual Flats Invitational Redfish Challenge, held Sept. 1-2 out of Cape Harbour Marina, a tremendous success. Local angler and SP Designs owner Mitch Williamson, founded the event as a way to leverage the unifying [ Read more ]
Longtime Sanibel Resident Brings Vast Budgeting, Public Policy Experience Captains for Clean Water welcomes our newest Board member, long-time Sanibel resident Chauncey Goss, who takes on the role of Treasurer. Mr. Goss brings a wealth of practical experience, personal passion and governmental insight that will undoubtedly bear positive impact on [ Read more ]
September 2017 was a month dominated by tropical weather; both at home and that which affected our neighbors across the Gulf of Mexico and throughout the Caribbean. But, while tragedies break our hearts, they also afford us the opportunity to grow closer together as a community. As Hurricane Harvey devastated [ Read more ]
July 12, 2017 – Captains for Clean Water is proud to announce Reid McKinstry of Mustad Hooks has joined their Board of Directors! After a major state legislative victory in 2017, Captains for Clean Water is expanding it’s Everglades program to include advocacy at a federal level, while continuing to [ Read more ]
On Monday, May 8, 2017, Wilbur Smith Attorneys at Law wired $100,000 to Captains for Clean Water. This is the largest single donation to Captains for Clean Water since the organization was founded just over a year ago. "As the 2017 Florida Legislative Session ends, the work of those fighting [ Read more ]
<p>More than 350 fishermen, outdoorsmen and concerned citizens gathered at the Historic Burroughs Home in Fort Myers on March 3 for the inaugural "Restore Clean Water Gala." Fishing legends and TV personalities, including Blair Wiggins, George Gozdz, Rob Fordyce, Peter Miller and Carter Andrews were on hand to show their [ Read more ]
Captains for Clean water is proud to announce the Filing of Florida Senate Bill 10 designed to reduce harmful Lake Okeechobee discharges and provide needed water to the Everglades and Florida Bay. After testifying before the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on the Environment. and Natural Resources yesterday we were extremely excited [ Read more ]
On Wednesday morning, Co-Founders of Captains for Clean Water Capt. Daniel Andrews and Capt. Chris Wittman traveled to Tallahassee for the second time this month to speak to the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on the Environment and Natural Resources. Along with Chris and Daniel was James Evans, the Director of Natural Resources [ Read more ]
On Wednesday, January 11th, we made a trip to Tallahassee for the first Senate subcommittee meeting on the Everglades and Lake Okeechobee discharges. Captain Daniel Andrews, co-founder of Captains for Clean Water was joined by James Evans, Director of Natural Resources for the City of Sanibel, Chris Davison, General Manager [ Read more ]
As the rain subsides and our waters begin to clear, many Florida residents will breathe a sigh of relief, But for those of us who make our living on the water, we will continue to suffer from the lasting effects of the man-made Lake Okeechobee discharges into our estuaries. The [ Read more ]
When we founded Captains for Clean Water in February 2016, we had no idea how quickly it would grow. Initially, we didn’t plan on incorporating as a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization; to be honest, we didn’t know what those numbers and letters even meant. We did know was that there was [ Read more ]
The Sunshine State is a boating paradise, providing boaters with year-round opportunities to fish, ski and spend time with friends and family on the water. The marine industry is also an important part of Florida's economy, representing a $15.3 billion economic impact in 2015, according to a recent report by the Marine [ Read more ]
I never thought I would start a nonprofit. I was perfectly content as a fishing guide - or at least I thought I was. Just six months ago, when Captains for Clean Water was founded, I had no idea where it would go or how fast it could grow. What [ Read more ]
