Protect the Basin
Let’s make 2026 a year of action for Choctawhatchee Bay! Every decision we make, from how we care for our yards to how we navigate our waterways, impacts this vital ecosystem.
Join us in taking small but meaningful actions to ensure a cleaner, healthier basin for future generations.
Ways to Help
Prevent Pollution
Keep trash, chemicals, and harmful runoff from the water.
Safeguard Habitat & Wildlife
Protect seagrass beds, manatees, and native species.
Plant for Resilience
Use native plants to reduce erosion and filter pollutants.
Be Water-Wise
Reduce water waste and prevent harmful runoff into the bay.
Citizen Science
Everyday observations can also play a powerful role in understanding and protecting our waterways. By participating in community science and reporting programs, you can help researchers, managers, and conservation organizations track environmental changes, identify emerging threats, and protect local wildlife.
Programs include:
iNaturalist – to document plants and animals you encounter and build a record of biodiversity in the Basin — just take a photo and upload your sighting to contribute real data to conservation science. Get started online or on the app: inaturalist.org.
Clean Swell – download the mobile app to log litter you collect during beach and shoreline cleanups. Your cleanup data feeds into a global database used to inform pollution solutions. Learn more at oceanconservancy.org/clean-swell-app.
Nurdle Patrol –to survey for plastic pellets (“nurdles”) on shorelines and submit your findings to help track industrial plastic pollution. Visit nurdlepatrol.org to learn how.
Wildlife Sightings – share sightings when exploring the outdoors. These observations help wildlife researchers and managers understand population status, movement, and behavior.
- Manatees: disl.edu/manatee
- Rays (Eagle, Devil, Manta): mote.org/ray-sightings
- FWC Fish and Wildlife: Horseshoe Crabs, Gopher Tortoises, rare snakes, non-native species, and more. Report sighting at myfwc.com/sightings.
Report fish kills, wildlife emergencies, sightings, etc. at myfwc.com/incident-reporting.
Take Action
Small Actions Create Big Waves of Change!
Ready to take action? Join the movement, volunteer, or support CBA’s efforts today!