There are many, many organizations around the world whose staff and volunteers work tirelessly to maintain fishable, swimmable, and otherwise enjoyable recreational waterways for all of us. They are called Waterkeepers.



Each group has named itself after the type of waterway it protects, and they include Basinkeeper, Baykeeper, Bayoukeeper, Canalkeeper, Channelkeeper, Coastkeeper, Creekkeeper, Deltakeeper, Gulfkeeper, Inletkeeper, Lakekeeper, Riverkeeper, Shorekeeper and Soundkeeper.



Monterey Boats hopes you appreciate them all, as we do.



According to its website, the Waterkeepers' story began in 1966 when commercial and recreational fishermen united and formed the Hudson River Fishermen's Association in New York to save their river, livelihood and the health of their families. They took on many of the nation's biggest industrial polluters and won. In 1983, they hired the first full-time Hudson Riverkeeper. In addition, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. became involved and was named one of Time magazine's "Heroes for the Planet" for his success in helping Riverkeeper lead the fight to restore the Hudson River. The group also has a long history of protecting its largest and most iconic fish, the Atlantic sturgeon. Its many achievements soon inspired more than 185 Waterkeeper organizations across the globe.



The Waterkeeper Alliance was founded in 1999 to support their efforts to protect and preserve the integrity and sustainability of the natural recreational waterway environment. Visit them by clicking here.



The Waterkeepers Alliance strives to protect every major watershed around the world, reaching out and collaborating with other leading environmental and public health organizations. As of today, there are nearly 200 Waterkeeper Organizations on six continents. From North America's San Joaquin DeltaKeeper in California, Galveston BayKeeper, Potomac RiverKeeper and Puget Sound Keeper, to Mexico's La Paz Coast Keeper, Asia's Upper Ganga Riverkeeper, and Europe's London Canalkeeper, the groups vary in size and strength, but all share a single vision and have become a voice for the world's waters, through conservation, monitoring, education, advocacy, partnering, planning, problem solving and enforcement.