The Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation (SCCF) is calling on island boaters to help clean up our back bay mangroves to protect wildlife by participating in our Second Annual Monofilament Madness Month during October. Volunteers throughout Lee County will be boating for wildlife as a part of this Keep Lee County Beautiful event.

The removal of debris and fishing line is an immediately satisfying and meaningful way to protect wildlife. Every year, birds and sea turtles are caught in fishing line. Abandoned crab traps can trap and drown diamondback terrapins that need to surface in order to breathe.

For the second year, Jensen’s Twin Palms Marina is adopting Roosevelt Channel to clean and Captiva Kayak at McCarthy’s Marina is hosting a volunteer kayak cleanup of Buck Key during the last week in October. This year, ‘Tween Waters will be providing kayaks for volunteers to clean up Hurricane Hole on Buck Key. Castaway’s is providing kayaks for FGCU students to cleanup SCCF’s Albright Island in Blind Pass.

Sanibel volunteers with kayaks are needed for the end of Dixie Beach and Bay Drive Roads. Sanibel’s east end canals could also use some cleaning. Also needed are fishermen to collect monofilament line from the back bay mangroves around Blind Pass and Wulfert Point you drive while a volunteer collects.

If you are able to take part in this cleanup effort any time in October, contact Dee Serage at SCCF (472-2329 or “mailto:dserage@sccf.org”>dserage@sccf.org). Please inquire for the dates and times for the kayak cleanups for Buck Key.