Bonefish & Tarpon Trust (BTT) looks forward to working with Governor Ron DeSantis and state legislators to continue to build upon the progress we have made for the conservation of our coastal and marine resources. As Florida’s 2025 legislative session begins, BTT is advocating for funding and programs that will improve water quality and fish habitat along the state’s coasts and estuaries.
The Everglades are the lifeblood of Florida’s world-class fisheries, and the restoration of this vital ecosystem is a critical component to the health of the state’s natural resources. BTT is advocating in the 2025 legislative session for the sustained and robust funding for Everglades restoration and water quality projects that will benefit the Everglades as well as Florida’s coastal ecosystems, communities, and fisheries.
After BTT-funded studies found numerous pharmaceutical contaminants in Florida’s bonefish and redfish, BTT successfully advocated in 2023 for a $2.5 million grant program to fund innovative wastewater technologies that have begun to address contaminants of emerging concern, like pharmaceuticals. During the 2025 session, BTT is advocating for continued funding of the successful Innovative Wastewater Technology Grant Program, which will help to keep pharmaceutical contaminants out of Florida’s waterways and valuable sportfish.
During the 2025 legislative session, BTT is also supporting the creation of the Northwest Florida Watersheds Regional Partnership, which will package together habitat, water quality, and water supply projects at a regional scale to proactively address significant ecosystem issues before they arise. This important partnership will help to ensure the health of Florida’s sportfish, notably tarpon and redfish, as well as their coastal habitats.
