Sustainable Ocean and Reefs (SOAR)

Sustainable Ocean and Reefs, known as SOAR, runs two offshore nurseries near Tavernier and Marathon where young Diadema antillarum, the long-spined sea urchin, mature in buckets and protective cages away from predators before heading out to the reef. Founder Jim Brittsan describes the work simply: the urchins are weeders in a garden, and if your fruits and vegetables are your corals, you are weeding constantly around them to promote their growth. The organization began in 2020 with the first in-water grow-out of sea urchins in the Florida Keys, became an independent nonprofit in 2024, and in January 2026 carried out the first grazer restocking at any of the seven Mission: Iconic Reefs sites, working alongside Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, Mote Marine Laboratory, Reef Renewal USA and Amoray Dive Resort. Visitors can support the work through SOAR's Adopt an Urchin program, which funds an urchin's care until it is ready for release.