FORCE BLUE & Publix Supermarkets, Still Good Together!

For the second year in a row, FORCE BLUE and Publix Supermarkets will be teaming up on a campaign to make Florida’s waters safer and healthier for Sunshine State residents and visitors to enjoy.

Beginning this February, FORCE BLUE veterans will be deploying on marine debris removal operations throughout the state, with funding provided via donations received from Publix customers during the supermarket chain’s environmental register campaign last spring.

“Last year, with the support of Publix and their customers, we were able to see just how much our veterans and our scientific partners can accomplish in terms of marine preservation and restoration,” said Keith Sahm, FORCE BLUE’s Chief Operations Officer. “This year, with our focus squarely on marine debris, we hope to make an even larger impact.”

The problem of marine debris is an especially troubling one, with an estimated 33 billion pounds of plastic entering the marine environment each year, or the equivalent of two garbage trucks full of plastic every minute.

In Florida, the problem is further exacerbated by the thousands of derelict crab and lobster traps and hundreds of tons of ghost fishing gear littering the state’s waterways.

“When people think of Florida, they think of beautiful beaches and pristine waters,” said FORCE BLUE Director of Diving Operations Angelo Fiore. “But beneath the surface, in some places it’s a different story. That’s where FORCE BLUE comes in.”

In 2026, the team expects to complete eight (8) separate 3–4 day marine debris removal operations in coastal areas ranging from Jacksonville to the Keys and the Panhandle to Tampa.