Tampa Bay Watch
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Mission Statement
Tampa Bay Watch is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to the protection and restoration of the Tampa Bay estuary through scientific and educational programs.
About This Cause
Tampa Bay Watch is a nonprofit organization dedicated exclusively to the protection and restoration of the marine and wetland environments of the Tampa Bay estuary through scientific and educational programs. Founded in 1993, we perform a variety of habitat restoration and protection activities on annual basis utilizing thousands of volunteers living in the bay area of Pinellas, Hillsborough, and Manatee counties. Individuals of all ages from community groups, corporations, and schools participate in native grass plantings, oyster bar construction, coastal cleanups, and wildlife protection demonstrating environmental stewardship in its purest form. In 2019 alone, our staff worked with 82 volunteers to remove 202 derelict crab traps from Tampa Bay to prevent unnecessary animal entrapment, 583 volunteers to create 12,676 square feet of new oyster reef, 483 volunteers to build and install 500 oyster reef balls to prevent erosion, create habitat, and improve water quality, 410 volunteers cleared 5,200 pounds of debris from our shorelines, and 74 volunteers recovered and recycled 836 miles of fishing line. The efforts of Tampa Bay Watch to restore and protect the bay's habitat through stewardship provide effective long-term improvements to the bay and empower our community to counteract local environmental problems. Estuary EDventures was founded in 2007 and strives to empower students to act as stewards of the Tampa Bay estuary by providing field experiences that combine classroom resources with hands-on field experiences at the Tampa Bay Watch Marine Education Center in Tierra Verde, Florida. Estuary EDventures focuses on estuary dynamics through activities such as the “plankton encounter” where students collect and use microscopes to study some of the smallest animals and plants that play an integral role in estuary and ocean health. The goal of the program is to develop students’ commitment to their local environment by increasing their understanding of the function of the Tampa Bay estuary Tampa Bay Watch opened the Discovery Center at the St. Pete Pier in July 2020 with a goal to inspire visitors to become stewards of their own environment by sharing the story of the recovery and ongoing restoration of Tampa Bay. The center’s Exhibit Gallery features aquariums that showcase a variety of species found in local waters, interactive displays, video presentations, and docent-led tours. There is also a state-of-the-art classroom that hosts field trips, after-school programs, summer camps, and fun and engaging marine science public programs—there is something for everyone!