SeaKeepers x Pantaenius Clean-Up

Overview

On July 30, 2025, The International SeaKeepers Society collaborated with Global Discovery Programme Partner Pantaenius UK to host a marina clean-up at Deacons Marina in Southampton. 21 volunteers from across the boating and yachting industry attended to actively show their support for ocean conservation and demonstrate their commitment to environmental responsibility.

SeaKeepers began the day with a warm welcome, followed by a short education session where they invited the group to estimate how long it takes for different common household items to fully degrade in the ocean. The times came as a real surprise to some of the volunteers and set the tone for why clean-ups are so important. SeaKeepers finished the discussion with a safety briefing before the group paired up to collect their gloves, buckets, and litter pickers, and prepared to clean up the local coastline. All items found were logged using the Marine Debris Tracker app, which allows the public to contribute to an open data platform and scientific research by recording the different types of litter found in inland or marine environments.

Together, the group removed an impressive 22.7 kilograms of waste from the marina. Over 1,100 individual items were recorded, with plastic fragments and cigarette butts being the most common finds. To keep the day engaging, friendly competitions were held for “most rubbish collected” and “most unique item found.”

CanO Water played a key role in keeping everyone hydrated throughout the clean-up. As a valued partner of the Green Marine Programme, their support reflects a shared commitment to sustainability and the reduction of single-use plastic waste in marine spaces.

After the clean-up, volunteers gathered for a small prize-giving ceremony where they reflected on the day’s collective achievements. SeaKeepers acknowledged the tangible impact of their efforts, not only in removing waste but in raising awareness about the broader issue of ocean pollution.SeaKeepers extends its sincere thanks to Pantaenius, as well as event supporters Boatfolk, La Marina, Starboard Card, Rightboat, and all the dedicated volunteers who helped make this clean-up such a success.

Marine Debris Tracker is a data collection app that allows the general public to contribute to an open-date platform and scientific research by recording the different types of litter, specifically plastic pollution, that they find in either inland or marine environments. Marine Debris Tracker was developed by the University of Georgia’s Jambeck Research Group, which SeaKeepers worked with in 2021 when the Jambeck Research Group collaborated with Ocean Conservancy to assess Miami’s plastic waste management, known as a Circularity Assessment Protocol. SeaKeepers again assisted the Jambeck Research Group’s Circularity Informatics Lab in 2022 with another Circularity Assessment Protocol in the Florida Keys. The researchers of the Jambeck Lab use the Marine Debris Tracker app to record their data, and with citizen scientists also using the app, more data can be collected in different areas. Using Marine Debris Tracker at our cleanups involves community members in creating a bigger picture of plastic pollution and provides the means for new scientific findings to be generated as well as for effective local legislation to be informed. SeaKeepers is excited to be incorporating this app at our cleanups and continue our mission of coastal education, protection, and restoration. In this cleanup, 33 percent of volunteers participated in using the app to record data.