Last month, members of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) dive team hosted an underwater cleanup event at the North Jetty at the Sebastian Inlet State Park.
Dive teams from FWC, Melbourne Police Department, Palm Bay Police Department, and Seminole County Sheriff’s Office assisted in the cleanup.
Here’s what they found:
- 500 pounds of trash
- 64 abandoned cast nets
- 200 fishing lures
- 300 pounds of lead weights
- 50 fishing poles
- Fishing reels
- Anchor lines
- Various fishing lines and debris
The diving event was instrumental in providing a cleaner and safer state park for all patrons who come to enjoy the Sebastian Inlet and the park.
The event also included joint agency dive team training and evidence recovery for an active investigation.
The Sebastian Inlet District said the event was a success after retrieving other things such as lost lures and scads of monofilament, batteries, rusty hooks, rods, reels, and countless other items that can foul the water and harm marine life.
