About Us
Our Story
Mission Clean Beaches is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization established in 2012 on the Central East coast of Florida in the United States. We are a marine conservation group dedicated to protecting and preserving the oceans and marine life. Our mission is to spread awareness and inspire action about marine litter through marine litter beach clean-up surveys, educational outreach, and innovative research. We achieve the goals of our mission by studying and mitigating the impacts of marine litter, especially plastics, on sea turtles and other marine animals.
As of 2024, we have performed over 2,000 marine litter beach clean-up surveys at important sea turtle nesting beaches. We currently average about 100 marine litter clean-up surveys annually with proper disposal, recycling, or repurpose for all litter collected after documentation. These surveys help us to assess the types and quantities of marine litter present in different locations, and to identify areas where cleanup efforts may be needed.
We currently have five scientific research projects going with two current long term studies being performed. Our primary research focus is on plastics ingestion in sea turtles. We study the incidence and effects of plastics ingestion in sea turtles through field surveys and necropsies, with the goal of better understanding the extent of the problem and identifying potential solutions. We have analyzed the complete gut content analysis of over 600 post-hatchlings and aiming for a total of 1000 for our sample size of this long term project.
We work collaboratively with other organizations, schools, research institutions, and our local communities to share knowledge and develop effective solutions for addressing marine litter and its impacts. This has included establishing a wildlife entanglement database, ecological expertise for outreach of our coastal ecosystems, student clean ups for local area schools and various volunteer project involvement with other local non-profit organizations. Our goal is to create a cleaner, healthier, and more sustainable ocean ecosystem for all. Through our work, we aim to raise awareness about the critical importance of marine conservation and to inspire individuals and communities to take action to protect our oceans and the marine life that depend on them. Join us in our mission to protect our oceans and the animals that call them home!
About Our Founder
Our Founder and Executive Director has over 15 years of experience working with marine turtles, coastal conservation and performing coastal field work. Current research projects focus on plastics ingestion, diet composition, and the physiological effects of plastics on marine species, particularly marine turtles.
She continues to manage all research projects and outreach programs for MCB. She has served on the BOD of multiple local non profits, working groups, and various expert panels specializing in conservation and wildlife. Currently, she serves on the BOD of Wild Florida Rescue as their Director of Education.
MCB was created in the spring of 2012 after being inspired by the years of walking the local beaches of Brevard County. I was then working on my graduate studies in marine biology at Florida Institute of Technology. I was waiting to begin my own sea turtle research (actually on the retina of sea turtles), but the International CITES permits were taking a bit longer than expected. I started walking the beaches daily and began to realize the horrible connection of sea turtles and other marine species to marine litter, especially plastics ingestion and entanglement.
--Nikia Rice
Let’s Work Together
Get in touch so we can start working together.
Your generous contribution goes directly to our marine litter surveys, educational outreach, and research projects.
DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION STATEMENT
At Mission: Clean Beaches, we are committed to fostering an inclusive environment where diversity is celebrated, and all individuals are valued and respected. We believe that diversity enriches our work, brings different perspectives to the table, and fuels innovation. Our commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) is rooted in the belief that every person—regardless of race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, age, ability, socioeconomic status, or background—deserves equal opportunities and fair treatment. We strive to create a space that recognizes, respects, and embraces the unique differences and talents of each individual. We actively seek to dismantle barriers, biases, and systemic inequalities by promoting fairness and justice in all aspects of our work. We are dedicated to creating an environment where everyone feels empowered to contribute, grow, and succeed. Our commitment to DEI is an ongoing journey, and we continuously educate ourselves, engage in meaningful dialogue, and implement practices that promote diversity, equity, and inclusion within our organization and the communities we serve. We invite collaboration, feedback, and partnerships from individuals and organizations who share our vision of a more inclusive and equitable world. Together, we can effect positive change and build a more just society for all.