Everglades restoration is at the heart of Captains for Clean Water’s mission. -COURTESY PHOTO

Southwest Florida is a fisherman’s paradise, and a group of local fishermen is working to preserve that paradise.

Captains for Clean Water is a local non-profit working to clean and protect Florida’s waterways. The organization was started ten years ago by two fishermen, Capt. Daniel Andrews and Capt. Chris Wittman, who is based in the Fort Myers area.

Director of Captain for Clean Water’s education and awareness efforts, Will Buehn, says the idea for the non-profit came from bad experiences Andrews and Wittman had while out on the water.

“We (Captains for Clean Water) were founded out of frustration,” said Buehn. “Frustration with what was going on with the water quality and knowing that more could be done. There had to be a better answer.”

Recreation and fishing draw in tourists from around the U.S. to Southwest Florida. -COURTESY PHOTO

And so, Andrews and Wittman created the grassroots non-profit with the goal of digging deeper into water quality issues in the area. Buehn says that while the water-quality problem is, of course, complex, much of it boils down to restoring the Everglades.

Restoring the Everglades is one of the largest ecosystem restoration efforts in the United States. Before the land in and around the Everglades was built up, water flowed slowly south from Central Florida through the Everglades, which helped to naturally filter the water while also supporting local wildlife habitats. As drainage projects, canals and other developments increased across the area, the flow of water was altered and changed. As such, discharge from Lake Okeechobee infiltrated other waterways, contributing to Harmful Algae Blooms (HABs) and poor water quality. All of this trickles down and impacts the water and environment in Southwest Florida. Coastal communities like Fort Myers Beach and Sanibel and Captiva are especially affected.

Poor water quality and its related issues impact Southwest Florida in many different ways, from property values to tourism to recreation and fishing. And so, Captains for Clean Water engages across many different areas to address all of these different needs and look for potential solutions. The non-profit creates and disseminates digital outreach and education, partners with local businesses, and advocates for policy change from Tallahassee to Washington, D.C.

“We saw the need to serve as a bridge between the public and the stakeholders, decision makers, and policy makers,” said Buehn. “And so that’s really what we do, is kind of like a bridge that gap between the people and the science.”

Captains for Clean Water also raises the call for sustained state and federal funding to improve water quality issues across the Sunshine State. On June 29, Governor Ron DeSantis signed Florida’s budget for the 2026-2027 fiscal year, which took effect July 1. DeSantis allocated $665 million for Everglades restoration projects. Buehn said he’s glad that people are recognizing the need for these important environmental efforts.

Captains for Clean Water was started by fishermen, but is now supported by a diverse group of community members. -COURTESY PHOTO

“We want to make sure that that funding continues to come in strong year after year,” said Buehn. “ I will say in recent years, the funding has been strong, especially at the state level. So that’s always good. We just got to keep that going.”

Captains for Clean Water also helps to spearhead a local initiative called “Preserving Paradise.” The non-profit partners with The Everglades Foundation, the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation, and the Sanibel-Captiva Chamber of Commerce for the cause. The program brings together business leaders from across the region who share the common goal of restoring and protecting water quality in Southwest Florida. As of now, 20 local businesses participate.

These local businesses realize the negative impact of poor water quality on the Southwest Florida economy. When the water is murky or has high levels of dangerous bacteria, it can cause hesitation among tourists and visitors, bringing fewer people to our region. This can negatively impact local hotels, restaurants, and many other businesses that rely heavily on tourism in our area to survive, especially in the wake of Hurricane Ian. The Preserving Paradise initiative works to bring these types of businesses together to raise awareness of these economic and environmental issues and works to problem-solve them.

Captains for Clean Water members advocate for policy change in Washington, D.C. -COURTESY PHOTO

The Preserving Paradise initiative includes classroom sessions and lectures with water quality experts and advocates. It also facilitates impactful field experiences where members go into nature to see the environmental impacts firsthand. For example, Preserving Paradise hosts trips for its members to the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) Reservoir, boat tours of the Caloosahatchee River, and airboat tours of the Everglades.

The program’s goal is for its members to take away a deeper level of advocacy in order to facilitate a more widespread understanding of the role water quality plays in the health of the economy in Southwest Florida.

HM Restaurant Group, which manages popular Fort Myers Beach restaurants like Doc Ford’s Rum Bar & Grille, Dixie Fish Company and Bonita Fish Company, is a major partner in the Preserving Paradise initiative and works closely with Captains for Clean Water. Since 2024, the HM Restaurant Group has featured specialty cocktails at its Southwest Florida locations in support of Captains for Clean Water. $1 from each sale of the specialty drink goes directly to Captains for Clean Water. The specialty drink program has raised tens of thousands of dollars for the non-profit since it began two years ago.

This year’s featured specialty drink is the Ghost Orchid, a mix of Deep Eddy Lemon Vodka, cream of coconut, pineapple juice, and sour mix. For every Ghost Orchid sold, $1 will be donated to Captains for Clean Water. This year, those donations will be made in the name of renowned nature photographer and conservationist Clyde Butcher.

Water quality has major economic impacts for places like Fort Myers Beach. -COURTESY PHOTO

“Our restaurants are built around Florida’s waterfront lifestyle, so protecting our waterways is a cause that’s especially meaningful to us,” said Joe Harrity, a partner with HM Restaurant Group. “We’re proud to support Captains For Clean Water and help advance their important work to preserve these natural resources.”

The specialty drink program is a way for everyone to get involved and help support Captains for Clean Water. And Buehn says that’s the goal. He says the diversity of people who support the non-profit is part of what makes it so successful.

“Whether it’s the person who likes to just go walk the beach and collect seashells or somebody who likes to kayak and paddleboard,” said Buehn. “We are not just fishermen or anglers. There’s a wide array of supporters that exist in our community. And that’s the part that makes our community special.”

Buehn says every person who supports Captains for Clean Water makes an important contribution. He has seen firsthand the impact of people coming together to help protect and clean Florida’s waterways.

“It can be easy to think that your voice doesn’t make a difference,” said Buehn. “But if there’s anything we’ve found out after 10 years of doing this is that voices add up very fast. And when people stand united on something, it does make a difference, and it creates a meaningful impact.”

To learn more about Captains for Clean Water, visit their website at captainsforcleanwater.org.

Lake Okeechobee discharge negatively impacts water quality in Southwest Florida. -COURTESY PHOTO