live Aquatic Philosophy:

Live to surf. Paddle back out. Save the Seas.

live Aquatic

We have the power to not only destroy the ocean, but to restore and protect this beautiful ecosystem that is so vital to our life and surfing. live Aquatic looks at the ocean like an old house: A place that's a little broken down but can be revived with a bit of hard work and some intensive care. We believe that to save our seas, we have to clear the trash and debris, prevent additional destruction, and rebuild our faltering eco-shelter.

Surfing is a way of life and we live to protect our waves, coast and underwater ecosystem.

live Aquatic

Educational Programs:

A.S.S. (After School Surfing)

Fixing something that is broken or in need of repair requires that you first learn the source of the problem. live Aquatic is dedicated to the discovery of our oceans' ills and their remedies, and to providing education to all those willing to listen or lend a hand in helping our oceans heal.

Some of the challenges facing our seas...

Ocean Garbage Patches: Right now, floating in the Pacific Ocean, are two areas where an estimated 100 million tons of plastic debris have accumulated that together are larger than the continental United States. The areas are aptly called the Eastern and Western Garbage Patches. Plastic doesn't biodegrade and no naturally occurring organisms can break it down. Plastic photo-degrades – meaning that sunlight breaks it down into smaller and smaller pieces. Those small pieces endlessly drift in the ocean and are mistaken by fish and birds for food.

Sea turtles confuse plastic bags and balloons for jellyfish (a favorite food) and die when the plastic chokes them or clogs their digestive system. Seabirds are often found dead with innards full of plastic debris. Scientists recently found a sperm whale with 440 pounds of fishing gear in its stomach. Pygmy sperm whales and dolphins have also fallen victim to plastic bags and balloons that they mistake for squid. The danger posed by plastics threatens even salt-water crocodiles as a large croc in Queensland, Australia was recently found dead with a belly full of plastic bags. Tragically, one million seabirds and 100,000 marine mammals die each year due to ingestion of or entanglement in plastics.

All of live Aquatic's employees have voluntarily pledged to take steps to limit the impact of plastics upon the oceanic environment. Only minor but very important alterations need be made to your lifestyle. Specifically, in addition to the well-known adage of reduce, reuse, recycle, our commitment is to:

• Use reusable bottles for water and other drinks
• Use organic cloth bags for groceries and other purchases
• Recycle the plastic bags and bottles you already have
• Never walk past a piece of plastic on the beach without picking it up and delivering it to a recycle bin

Plastics, of course, is not the only challenge facing our oceans, beaches and reefs. Other forms of pollution include raw sewage, fertilizer run-off, crab/lobster/fish traps, fishing line and nets, rope, six-pack holders, syringes, strapping bands, cigarette butts, bottle caps and other small pieces of trash.

Ghost fishing: Trash in the ocean poses a serious threat of entanglement. Curious seals poke their noses into six-pack rings or plastic containers and then get stuck, preventing them from eating or even breathing. Playful dolphins swirl around discarded fishing nets and rope, becoming entangled. When animals get trapped in abandoned fishing lines, nets and ropes floating in the water – a phenomenon known as "ghost fishing" – they may drown immediately or drag the debris around until they weaken and die. Abandoned nets drifting underwater can also snag on corals, sponges, and sea fans, damaging and even dislodging them.

Live Aquatic is an active participant and avid supporter of organizations devoted to the battle against marine debris. Organizations we champion include the Surfrider Foundation, Ocean Conservancy, The Pew Environment, Oceana and local sea turtle protection groups.

Sea Turtles: All six species of sea turtles found in United States' waters are listed as either "threatened" or "endangered." Domestic and international nesting areas are in trouble, collisions with recreational boats are on the rise, and pollution is having profound impacts on the species. The Endangered Species Act (ESA) is a critical tool for protecting threatened and endangered sea turtles and grass roots efforts are needed to prevent lawmakers from undermining key provisions of the law, including protection provided by critical habitat designations. Live Aquatic supports programs with goals that include:

• Reduction of bycatch of threatened and endangered sea turtles in U.S. fisheries to levels that do not jeopardize the existence of the species
• Model regulations for coastal planning to preserve sea turtle nesting habitats in key Florida counties
• New regulations and guidelines to prevent boat strikes, particularly in Florida and Georgia
• Funding of the Marine Turtle Conservation Act to implement both domestic and international protection of sea turtle nesting populations
• Health assessments and data collection to evaluate the U.S. sea turtle recovery plan for loggerheads, greens, leatherbacks and Kemp's ridleys.

Marine Mammals: Although "bycatch" (the unintentional capture or injury of wildlife during fishing operations) has been identified as the most immediate threat to marine wildlife, the increase of disease, wildlife die-offs, and mass mortality from other causes is also on the rise. Ship strikes, for example, account for 50% of human-related right whale mortality. Live Aquatic supports programs with goals that include:

• A significantly reduced number of mammal ship strikes
• Federal and international regulations to slow vessels and move shipping lanes to eliminate the killing of large whales by ships
• Reauthorization of the Marine Mammal Protection Act with improved provisions for marine mammal health
• U.S. recovery plans for protected marine mammals including health assessments and blood baseline data collection.

Manatees: Manatees are an endangered species threatened by human-related mortality such as collisions with watercraft and entanglement in fishing gear and marine debris. In some regions of Florida, manatee are meeting recovery criteria. The largest subpopulations are not recovering, however, and the southwest Florida subpopulation may be in even further decline. Live Aquatic supports programs with goals that include:

• A Florida manatee population that is healthy, stable, and at least meeting the recovery criteria under the Endangered Species Act
• Improved boater education and public support for manatee protection efforts with less animosity among stakeholders
• Fewer derelict crab traps, discarded monofilament fishing lines, and other sources of entanglement
• Manatee protection speed zones in key areas of Florida with 50 to 80 percent compliance by boaters
• Development of clear Recovery Criteria and effective means to reduce harassment

Protection of Marine Wildlife: After overfishing, the greatest human impact on marine species is "bycatch," the unintentional capture or injury of wildlife during fishing operations. Engaging fisherman in the search for innovative solutions is one key to progress. Ultimately, international cooperation is required since a large proportion of harmful bycatch occurs in international waters. Live Aquatic supports programs with goals that include:

• Reduction and elimination of bycatch to prevent the extinction and ensure the recovery of many species of marine animals
• Development of practices and technologies to reduce bycatch and promote these advances in both the U.S. and abroad
• Advocate for regulations to protect marine wildlife from fishing gear known to pose a threat
• Help to preserve and strengthen the laws and regulations that protect marine wildlife including the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA).

Sustainable American Fisheries: The most immediate threat to ocean ecosystem health is overfishing. In the near past, the ocean's bounty of seafood was believed limitless. Today, the United Nations reports that 75 percent of the world's fish populations are being overfished. More than 3.5 million fishing vessels scour our oceans utilizing high-tech gear. Factory trawlers ensnare 120,000 pounds of fish in a single scoop of the net. The huge commercial nets rip through the sea floor and tear through the fragile coral reefs.

Commercial vessels set 100,000 miles of longlines – holding nearly 5 million hooks – and kill over 90 percent of the billfish. Marlin are considered "bycatch" and thrown dead back into the ocean. Both blue and white marlin will soon be placed on the endangered species list. The majestic bluefin tuna is on the verge of extinction in the Western Atlantic, the victim of seines, harpoons and traps. An estimated one thousand porpoises and dolphins drown each day in the tuna nets.

Establishing long-term sustainable fisheries has often been subservient to short-term exploitation, with resulting declines in fish populations and damage to other species and habitats. Fishery management in the U.S. needs to employ ecosystem-based management as the framework for fisheries policy and to make long-term sustainability the priority for fishing.

Sharks and Rays: Sharks and closely related rays are among the most biologically vulnerable and yet under-protected species in the oceans. Overfishing, bycatch, and habitat destruction threaten most populations and are driving an alarming number towards extinction. In the 1980s, the federal government considered sharks an "underutilized species" and encouraged their commercial fishing. Scientists are now concerned that their sharp decline will severely impact the entire undersea food chain. The horrible practice of removing the fins for shark-fin soup remains rampant. Proactive, ecosystem-based management is needed to protect these ancient species from a collapse of their populations.