Responsible Pier Initiative

The Responsible Pier Initiative is a first-of-its-kind program designed as a collaborative tool to work directly with fishermen and fishing piers. The purpose of these efforts is to provide first-responders on fishing piers with the necessary resources to respond effectively to sea turtle injuries and strandings on or around fishing piers. If interested in bringing the RPI to a pier near you, please contact Katie O’Hara at kohara@marinelife.org.

jack-hanna-rpi-promo-900px

The Responsible Pier Initiative consists of four core components



Above the water-line:
1. Educational workshops conducted for fishing pier first responders
2. Educational signage and rescue nets provided to participating fishing piers
3. Pollution prevention measures on participating fishing piers

Below the water-line:
4. Underwater cleaning beneath participating fishing piers and surrounding areas on a regular basis

All of the listed piers abide by the following guidelines:

  • If a sea turtle is accidentally hooked or entangled, call your local responders.
  • Recycle used monofilament fishing line in PVC tubes.
  • Use sea turtle-safe lighting during nesting season.
  • Properly dispose of all trash, recyclables, and cigarette butts.
  • Do not leave fish on the deck.

RECOGNIZED PIERS

 FLORIDA  FLORIDA
 Juno Beach Fishing Pier, Juno Beach  North Sunshine Skyway Fishing Pier, St. Petersburg
 Lake Worth Pier, Lake Worth  South Sunshine Skyway Fishing Pier, Palmetto
 Dania Beach Pier, Dania Beach  Williams Fishing Pier, Riverview
 Navarre Beach Pier, Navarre  Ft. DeSoto Park Bay Pier, Tierra Verde
 Pensacola Beach Fishing Pier, Pensacola Beach  Ft. DeSoto Park Gulf Pier, Tierra Verde
 Gulf Islands National Seashore Pier, Pensacola Beach  Cocoa Beach Pier, Cocoa Beach
 Okaloosa Island Fishing Pier, Fort Walton Beach  Phil Foster Park Pier, Riviera Beach
 Russell-Fields City Pier, Panama City Beach  Port Canaveral/Jetty Park Pier, Port Canaveral
 MB Miller Pier, Panama City Beach  VIRGINIA
 St. Andrews State Park Piers, Panama City  Little Island Fishing Pier, Virginia Beach
 Mexico Beach Pier, Mexico Beach  Virginia Beach Fishing Pier, Virginia Beach
 Fernandina Harbor Marina, Fernandina Beach  Lynnhaven Inlet Fishing Pier, Virginia Beach
 Mashes Island Park, Panacea  Ocean View Fishing Pier, Norfolk
 St. Marks City Dock, St. Marks  Buckroe Fishing Pier, Hampton
 Woolley Park Fishing Pier, Panacea  Sea Gull Fishing Pier, Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel
 Eastpoint Fishing Pier, St. George Island  Engineers Wharf Fishing Pier, Hampton
 St. George Island Fishing Pier, St. George Island  TEXAS
 10 Foot Hole (Appalachia Yacht Basin), Apalachicola  Horace Caldwell Pier, Port Aransas Beach
 Bald Point State Park, Alligator Point  Bob Hall Pier, Corpus Christi
 Marine Street Dock, Carrabelle  Galveston Fishing Pier, Galveston
 Fort Boat Ramp, Crawfordville  61st Street Fishing Pier, Galveston
 Ochlockonee Bay Boat Ramp, Panacea  Seawolf Park, Galveston
 Pier 60, Clearwater Beach  PUERTO RICO
 Deerfield International Fishing Pier, Deerfield Beach  Mosquito Pier, Vieques
 Fort Clinch Fishing Pier, Fernandina Beach  Old San Juan Pier, Old San Juan
 Melody Lane Fishing Pier, Ft. Pierce  Ceiba Piers, Ceiba
 Anglin’s Fishing Pier, Lauderdale-By-The-Sea  NORTH CAROLINA
 FDOT Pier, Jupiter  Jennette’s Pier, Nags Head
 Sawfish Bay Park, Jupiter

PiersByYearMap

There are more than 50 participating piers in the RPI. 

RESCUED SEA TURTLES

The RPI has facilitated the rescue of 224 sea turtles. 

MARINE DEBRIS REMOVED

marinedebris

Over 8,000 lbs. of marine debris has been removed from the area, surrounding participating piers. 

PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS

VirginiaAq

NCRoanoke

Florida Park Service

BrowCounty

GL

PR

Tica

USFish

Clearwater

GulfSpec

Navarre

turtleisland

TexasSealife