Tampa Bay Watch

What Tampa Bay Watch does

Tampa Bay Watch is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1993 and headquartered in Tierra Verde, Florida, dedicated to restoring and protecting the Tampa Bay estuary. The organization's core work is hands-on habitat restoration, including living shorelines, oyster reef construction using 200-pound Oyster Reef Balls (ORBs), 35-pound oyster shell bags, and Vertical Oyster Gardens made from recycled restaurant shells; native plant and seagrass restoration; and marine debris removal including a 200+ monotube fishing line recycling network. Since founding, Tampa Bay Watch has restored over 1.5 million square feet of shoreline, deployed 10,000+ ORBs at MacDill Air Force Base alone, and built 26,000+ square feet of oyster habitat in the past three years. Quantified outcomes include potential daily water filtration of up to 500 million gallons across deployed reef structures.

The organization generates revenue through diversified streams: individual donations, business and foundation gifts, a tiered membership program ($25 Seahorse through $1,000 Dolphin), a Corporate Membership program, a Tampa Bay Shoreline Guardians annual giving ladder ($1,200 to $12,000+), wedding and event venue rental at its waterfront facility, education program fees (field trips, summer/spring camps), and stock/vehicle/legacy giving channels. GTM is community-led and event-driven, combining volunteer recruitment (2,000+ annually; 2,345 in 2025), corporate partnerships (Lifetime Corporate Partners include Mosaic, Bloomin' Brands, General Dynamics, Jabil), government contracts (MacDill AFB, FWC, NOAA, USFWS), signature events (Evening for the Bay, Tarpon Rodeo, Great Bay Scallop Search), and earned media. Tampa Bay Watch operates two education centers (Auer Marine Education Center on Shell Key Preserve and the Discovery Center on the St. Pete Pier), two community wetland nurseries, and a Marine Science on the Move mobile classroom. Customer base spans individual donors, families, K-12 schools, corporate partners, and government agencies across Hillsborough, Pinellas, and Manatee counties.

Name

Tampa Bay Watch

Legal name

Tampa Bay Watch, Inc.

Website

https://tampabaywatch.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Tampa Bay Watch is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1993 that restores the Tampa Bay estuary through oyster reef construction, living shorelines, native plantings, and marine debris removal while running education programs, citizen science initiatives, and community volunteer events.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Conservation and Habitat Restoration Services

akta.pro primary industry

Marine & Freshwater Conservation (BPAGAGAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Marine Conservation & Citizen-Science Experiences (reef monitoring, turtle walks) (THAAAIAH), Marine Wildlife & Birding Cruises (dolphins, seals, seabirds) (THAAAIAD), Sightseeing & Scenic Boat Tours (Harbor, Sunset, Dolphin/Whale Watching) (THAJAJAA)

Keywords

• Habitat restoration services
• Oyster reef restoration
• Marine science education
• Coastal conservation programs
• Environmental nonprofit services

Headquarters

HQ city

St. Petersburg

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Personal donations from individuals supporting the organization's mission. Join more than 8,000 donors, volunteers, and students who support the organization annually.
2. Business/Foundation Donations: Corporate donations from Tampa Bay businesses, and foundation donations directed toward areas of greatest impact.
3. Membership Program: Annual membership tiers ranging from $25 (Seahorse/Individual) to $1,000 (Dolphin). Includes benefits such as Discovery Center access, event discounts, merchandise discounts, and reciprocal partner benefits.
4. Corporate Membership: Corporate membership program allowing companies to be active partners in protecting Tampa Bay estuary. Includes website recognition, annual report acknowledgment, and social media recognition reaching 25,000+ supporters.
5. Tampa Bay Shoreline Guardians Annual Giving: Annual giving levels: Leader ($1,200-$2,399), Advocate ($2,400-$4,799), Steward ($4,800-$11,999), Champion ($12,000+). Includes Snook level membership and various recognition benefits.
6. Event Venue Rental: Revenue from hosting weddings, showers, engagements, and fundraisers at the waterfront venue. Includes $1,000 non-refundable deposit, with final balance due 90 days prior to event. Maximum capacity 150 guests.
7. Education Programs: Revenue from field trips, summer camps, and marine science education programs at two locations (Auer Marine Education Center and Discovery Center). Financial assistance available for qualifying groups.
8. Stock and Vehicle Donations: Gifts of stock, mutual funds, qualified charitable distributions from IRAs, car and boat donations through Charitable Adult Rides & Services (CARS).
9. Legacy Society Planned Gifts: Planned giving through bequests, retirement accounts, life insurance, and charitable trusts. Legacy Society members receive a personalized Legacy Reef Ball installed among living shorelines.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Tampa Bay Watch is a nonprofit environmental organization that restores and protects the Tampa Bay estuary through hands-on habitat restoration projects (oyster reef creation, living shorelines, seagrass monitoring, native plant propagation, and marine debris removal) and delivers marine science education through two waterfront education centers, school field trips, summer camps, and citizen science partnerships. The organization also generates revenue through a waterfront wedding/event venue, a tiered membership program, and corporate sponsorship programs.

Product overview

Tampa Bay Watch is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit environmental organization focused on restoring and protecting the Tampa Bay estuary. The organization operates multiple interconnected programs: Restoration Programs (Living Shorelines, Shells For Shorelines, Oyster Reefs/CORE with Vertical Oyster Gardens, Oyster Reef Balls, Oyster Shell Bags, Native Plants, Seagrass, Marine Debris including Fishing Line Recycling) and Education Programs (Bay Grasses in Classes, Community Wetland Nurseries, Field Trips, Marine Science Camps, Citizen Science Partnerships). Key events include the Great Bay Scallop Search and Tarpon Rodeo. Additional offerings include wedding/event venue rental at their waterfront headquarters and a Membership Program with multiple tiers. The organization maintains two education centers: Auer Marine Education Center in Tierra Verde and the Discovery Center on the St. Pete Pier.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Living Shorelines Program Sustainable shoreline erosion control service using oyster reef balls, shell bags, and salt marsh plantings to protect and enhance Tampa Bay coastal habitats.
• Shells For Shorelines Restaurant oyster shell recycling and reuse program that transforms discarded shells into shell bags and vertical oyster gardens for bay restoration.
• Community Oyster Reef Enhancement (CORE) Program Community Oyster Reef Enhancement program that restores Tampa Bay oyster habitats using shell bags, oyster reef balls, and vertical oyster gardens.
• Seagrass Restoration and Monitoring Seagrass restoration and citizen science monitoring service for Shoal Grass, Turtle Grass, and Manatee Grass supporting the Tampa Bay Estuary Program's 40,000-acre seagrass management goal.
• Native Plants Restoration Program Coastal wetland native plant restoration service using Smooth Cordgrass, Sea Oat, Seashore Paspalum, and Black Needlerush to stabilize shorelines and restore habitat.
• Marine Debris Removal Comprehensive marine debris removal service including coastal cleanups, derelict crab trap removal, and fishing line recycling through monotube adoption programs.
• Fishing Line Recycling Network Fishing line recycling service managing 200+ monotubes throughout Tampa Bay and the Gulf Coast region, partnered with FWC's Monofilament Recovery and Recycling Program.
• School Field Trips Hands-on marine science field trip program at two waterfront centers aligned with Next Generation Sunshine State Standards, for K-12 schools and homeschool groups.
• Marine Science Summer and Spring Break Camps Marine ecology day camps for youth during spring break and summer at Auer Marine Education Center and Discovery Center on St. Pete Pier.
• Citizen Science Partnerships Citizen science partnership service integrating students and volunteers with REEF Conservation, EarthEcho Water Challenge, FMAP, HABscope, Ocean Conservancy International Coastal Cleanup, and iSeahorse data collection.
• Bay Grasses in Classes School-based wetland nursery program where students plant, maintain, and harvest estuarine wetland plants for transplanting into Tampa Bay coastal restoration sites.
• Great Bay Scallop Search Annual citizen science event where volunteer snorkelers, boaters, and kayakers monitor bay scallop populations at designated Tampa Bay sites.
• Tarpon Rodeo Annual catch-and-release fishing tournament raising funds for Tampa Bay Watch restoration projects and education programs.
• Waterfront Wedding and Event Venue Rental Waterfront venue rental service for weddings, showers, engagements, and fundraisers accommodating up to 150 guests, with proceeds supporting habitat restoration.
• Annual Membership Program Annual membership program with tiers from $25 (Seahorse) to $1,000 (Dolphin) offering Discovery Center access, event discounts, merchandise discounts, and reciprocal benefits at 15+ regional cultural institutions.
• Tampa Bay Shoreline Guardians Annual Giving Multi-tier annual giving program for major donors from Leader ($1,200) to Champion ($12,000+) with complimentary Snook membership, website and annual report recognition, and up to 6 Discovery Center guests.
• Legacy Society Planned Giving Planned giving program accepting bequests, retirement account gifts, life insurance, and charitable trusts, with Legacy Society members receiving a personalized Legacy Reef Ball installed among Tampa Bay living shorelines.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1.5M+ square feet of shoreline restored since 1993
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

23 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• REEF Conservation (Reef Environmental Education Foundation)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTampa Bay Watch is the first REEF Conservation Partner on Florida's east coast. Engages in Conservation Actions including incorporating fish ID information into curriculum and sharing REEF's marine conservation work. Partnership enables both organizations to encourage community involvement in marine habitat conservation.
• EarthEcho InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for EarthEcho Water Challenge program where students collect and test local water parameters to monitor water quality and contribute to a global database monitoring ocean health.
• Florida Microplastic Awareness Project (FMAP)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupported by NOAA Marine Debris Program. Students and volunteers collect coastal water samples and filter them to identify microplastics, contributing data to a statewide database for understanding plastic impact.
• HABscope (Gulf of Mexico Coastal Ocean Observing System/GCOOS)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHABscope monitoring project provides improved forecast of Karenia brevis blooms (red tide). Volunteers collect water samples and capture videos for calculating K. brevis concentrations to aid in monitoring harmful algal blooms.
• Ocean ConservancycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for International Coastal Cleanup program. Students participate in local coastal cleanups and record findings submitted to Ocean Conservancy's global database (220+ million pounds of trash collected across 100+ countries).
• Project Seahorse / iNaturalist (iSeahorse)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for monitoring global seahorse populations. Students collect real-time data including weather conditions, species identification, sex, and size of seahorses during seining activities.
• Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Monofilament Recovery and Recycling Program (MRRP). Tampa Bay Watch manages monotubes and submits data to FWC's statewide database. Also coordinates derelict crab trap removal authorized by FWC.
• Audubon FloridaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for annual bird island cleanup targeting fishing line, tackle, and marine debris from rookery islands before nesting season to provide safer nesting habitat for colonial waterbirds.
• Tampa Bay Estuary Program (TBEP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Great Bay Scallop Search and seagrass monitoring. TBEP is a key partner in the 31st Annual Great Bay Scallop Search event and Tampa Bay Interagency Seagrass Monitoring Program.
• Pinellas County Environmental ManagementcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Great Bay Scallop Search annual event. Pinellas County provides space for events and environmental management expertise.
• Berkley Fishing CompanyminorOthersCleaned fishing line from monotubes is sent to Berkley Fishing Company for recycling into new fishing line products.
• Florida Airboat AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoordinates with Tampa Bay Watch for use of airboats during winter derelict crab trap removal events, allowing access to shallow areas where conventional boats cannot enter.
• Restaurant Partners (Shells for Shorelines)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorParticipating restaurants include The Helm, Doc Ford's, Crabby Bill's, Oyster Bar, Island Grille, The Tides, and others. Restaurants save used oyster shells in 5-gallon buckets provided by Tampa Bay Watch for shell recycling program.
• City of St. PetersburgminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides space for Great Bay Scallop Search event locations including Grandview Park boat ramp.
• Manatee CountyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides space for Great Bay Scallop Search event at Emerson Point Preserve.
• Charitable Adult Rides & Services (CARS)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor501(c)(3) nonprofit social enterprise handling vehicle donations (cars, motorcycles, RVs, boats) for Tampa Bay Watch. Process is easy, pickup is free, and gifts are tax deductible.
• FreeWillminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership to provide free online will-writing tool for Legacy Society members. FreeWill takes less than 20 minutes to complete.
• Sunken GardensminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorReciprocal partner providing free admission to Tampa Bay Watch members.
• Great Explorations Children's MuseumminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorReciprocal partner providing free admission to Tampa Bay Watch members in September.
• Glazer Children's MuseumminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorReciprocal partner providing free admission to Tampa Bay Watch members in November.
• The James MuseumminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorReciprocal partner providing free admission to Tampa Bay Watch members in October.
• The HelmminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorReciprocal partner offering free dessert to Tampa Bay Watch members.
• Tampa Bay History CenterminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorReciprocal partner offering 50% off admission to Tampa Bay Watch members (starting January 2026).

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Billion Oyster Project: NYC Harbor-based nonprofit restoring oyster reefs with community volunteer labor and student engagement programs; directly comparable on oyster reef construction methodology and school-partnership education model.
• Chesapeake Bay Foundation: One of the largest estuary restoration nonprofits in the U.S., operating a Save the Bay education program, oyster restoration initiatives, and a fleet of education vessels — directly comparable to Tampa Bay Watch's combination of habitat restoration, citizen science, and education programming.
• Save the Sound: Long Island Sound-focused environmental nonprofit combining habitat restoration, water quality monitoring, and education — closely mirrors Tampa Bay Watch's estuary-restoration + community-engagement model.
• Indian River Lagoon Council: Florida-based nonprofit focused on Indian River Lagoon estuarine health, seagrass monitoring, and community restoration — directly comparable Florida estuarine mission and education programming.
• Heal the Bay: Santa Monica Bay-based nonprofit with marine education center, aquarium programming, citizen science, and coastal cleanup events; closest West Coast analog to Tampa Bay Watch's Discovery Center + volunteer-driven restoration model.
• Galveston Bay Foundation: Gulf Coast estuary restoration nonprofit operating oyster shell recycling, marsh restoration, marine debris removal, and education programs with comparable geography and mission alignment to Tampa Bay Watch.

Broad incumbents

• Surfrider Foundation: National coastal nonprofit with chapter-based volunteer beach cleanup, water quality testing, and ocean protection advocacy; overlaps with Tampa Bay Watch on marine debris removal and citizen science.
• Coastal Conservation Association: National marine habitat conservation nonprofit with state chapters, focused on fisheries habitat restoration and volunteer-driven marine stewardship; comparable mission and member-based funding model.
• The Nature Conservancy (Florida Chapter): Global conservation organization with substantial Florida coastal restoration work including oyster and seagrass projects; broad portfolio but addresses overlapping habitat restoration priorities in the same region.
• Ocean Conservancy: Large national marine conservation nonprofit; Tampa Bay Watch is a local partner in their International Coastal Cleanup. Operates at much greater scale and broader geographic scope, with overlapping coastal cleanup and debris removal activities.

Market position

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/tampabaywatch
• Instagraminstagram.com/tampabaywatch
• Xx.com/TampaBayWatch
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/tampa-bay-watch

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds4 records

Investors2 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Tampa Bay Watch