Our organization, Florida Ocean Clean-Up Society (FOCUS) has always been driven by the belief that ecotourism is a powerful tool for conservation. We are deeply rooted in Miami, a city blessed with marine wildlife and natural beauty.

We are calling on Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, the Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners (BCC), and Miami-Dade County Parks, Recreation, and Open Spaces to move forward to end the lease of Miami Seaquarium. Instead, we propose transforming this public land into a Marine Exploration Hub and marine life center.

This innovative space would offer non-motorized eco-tours facilitating wildlife encounters. It would allow residents and visitors alike to explore Biscayne Bay's unique habitat - a rare find in major urban areas.

This public land is located next to Biscayne Bay, a haven for diverse wildlife, featuring the presence of bottlenose dolphins, manatees, sea turtles, stingrays, and hundreds of fish species, among others. The bay is also a bustling habitat for numerous bird species, and the surrounding old mangroves are full of tiny marine organisms living in their roots. 

Mayor Daniella Levine Cava has been a vocal advocate for change, and we support her in her efforts to end the lease for the Miami Seaquarium. We urge the Board of Commissioners to bring about this transformation. The future of this public space is one that not only will serve the community but it will also set an example for the future of marine entertainment worldwide.

This revamped hub would offer a variety of eco-friendly activities, including sailing tours, kayak tours, paddle board tours, and snorkeling tours among others.

By creating an eco-friendly hub focused on exploration rather than captivity-based entertainment, we can foster greater respect for our wildlife and increase human well-being by allowing people to have wildlife encounters.

Our vision:

- Marine Life Center A family-friendly destination that not only entertains but also inspires. A park that embraces its surroundings, incorporating native flora. Minimizing water consumption and creating a haven for local wildlife. The facilities could have an eco-friendly pool for the little ones and also a research, rehabilitation, education, and conservation center with rescue wildlife.

- Unique Habitat Exploration: Providing an opportunity for locals and tourists to explore the diverse ecosystem of Biscayne Bay, exposing visitors to wildlife encounters through fun activities.

- Interactive Indoor Section: Utilizing technology to immerse visitors in interactive marine experiences and games, fostering a deeper connection with the natural world. 

- Marine Education & Conservation: Collaborating with local universities (the University of Miami Marine Science campus is next door), non-profits, and other organizations to maintain the current rehab hospital facilities for sea turtles, manatees, and other marine animals. In addition to offering adventure programs and volunteering opportunities for students that inspire self-discovery and environmental stewardship. A good benchmark could be Philadelphia’s Discovery Center.

We understand that to make this vision a reality, Miami-Dade County will have to facilitate partnerships between key organizations, businesses, non-profits, and academia, creating different bids for each goal.

But the current state of affairs at the Miami Seaquarium, coupled with its history, raises significant concerns, and we need change. There have been documented recent violations with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), shedding light on instances of animal mistreatment, inadequate care, recent animal deaths, and issues related to staffing. This has been a pattern for the last few years. The Miami Seaquarium currently pays Miami-Dade County a lease of $1,000,000 annually.

We firmly believe that transforming this public land into an innovative waterpark and Marine Exploration Hub has the potential to bring in more revenue to the county while creating a better place for the local community and tourists, aligning with modern values of environmental conservation and ethical animal treatment.

Ready to make waves of change? Sign our petition to transform the Miami Seaquarium into a Marine Exploration Hub and eco-friendly waterpark.

Your signature can help us convince the Board of Commissioners and Miami-Dade County Parks, Recreation, and Open Spaces to make it happen. Click to sign, and don't forget to spread the word! 

Every share counts, and together, we'll make a splash for a brighter, marine-loving future. #TransformMiamiSeaquarium