LOWER KEYS — Forty seven tons of debris have been removed from the shorelines of the lower Florida Keys thanks to local fishermen armed with a hefty grant from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

Monroe County received a total of $1.8 million in Hurricane Irma-related grant funding from the FWC for the cleanup of marine debris, especially fishing-related debris.

Funding for the project came from a $44.5 million grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in response to the fishery disaster resulting from the storm.

Dozens of local commercial fishermen were hired, and they collected 47 tons of debris, collected in June 2021 and January 2022.

(Courtesy: Monroe County)

The debris collected included commercial fishing trap line, buoys, and other miscellaneous manufactured debris.

“These crews spent more than 4,700 hours picking up debris by working in unfavorable conditions in remote areas to complete this important project,” said Celia Hitchins, Monroe County Marine Resources Administrator. “They rolled up their sleeves and used a variety of small vessels, hand tools, and a fleet of specialized equipment including shallow draft barges to haul the debris to a certified disposal facility.”

(Courtesy: Monroe County)

“This project was a great way to give back to our local fishermen and provide an economic benefit to a community that was hit hard by Hurricane Irma,” said Monroe County Mayor David Rice. “We are very thankful FWC granted this funding to the County and that it has resulted in significant improvements to our marine environment and the wildlife that depend on it.”