City of Long Beach Debuts New Water Debris-Collecting Device

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PRESS RELEASE

Long Beach, CA - The City of Long Beach Department of Parks, Recreation and Marine (PRM) has announced its new Jellyfishbot, a remotely controlled debris-collecting device that can remove up to 100 pounds of debris from surface-level water in a single mission. The Jellyfishbot will enhance City efforts to clean Long Beach marina waters and raise awareness on larger marine pollution issues.

"The Jellyfishbot is an innovative resource that supports our commitment to environmental stewardship and ensuring our waters remain clean and beautiful all year round," said Mayor Rex Richardson. "I can't wait to see this bot hard at work in our waters donning the winning design from our youth art contest."

The Jellyfishbot is a versatile, easy-to-use solution for cleaning waste and debris from water. This electric-powered robot offers many state-of-the-art features, including a Global Positioning System (GPS) that will allow staff to create designated operating areas and chart a map of water depths; a live camera feed and built-in collision avoidance systems to detect obstacles above and under water; and a net system attached to the back of the device that can collect up to 100 pounds of debris.

This new device will allow Marine Bureau staff to more effectively and efficiently address the removal of smaller water debris. Typically, debris removal operations of this size require a boat and additional staffing to drive and net the debris manually. With the Jellyfishbot, one staff member can both remotely operate the device and remove debris. Additionally, the relatively small size of the device allows it to maneuver into otherwise hard-to-reach areas. The robot will be used as part of the Marine Bureau's weekly operations, as well as after storm events where an influx of debris is traditionally seen. The Jellyfishbot will make its debut mission the week of Sept. 30, 2024.

To celebrate the debut of the Jellyfishbot, the PRM Adopt a Beach Program, in partnership with the Aquarium of the Pacific and supported by sponsors Long Beach Container Terminal and Intex Recreation Corporation, launched a youth art and naming contest for the robot at the recent California Coastal Cleanup Day. Local youth are invited to welcome this cool new critter by sharing their ideas for a chance to name the Jellyfishbot and have their art displayed on its sides. Youth interested in submitting their ideas can apply at lbparks.org now through Friday, Oct. 25 by clicking on the contest link on the home page. The chosen artist will receive a $1,500 scholarship package, as well as other prizes generously donated by sponsors.

On Sept. 21, nearly 1,700 Long Beach volunteers attended California Coastal Cleanup Day, removing over 3,300 pounds of debris in only three hours.

The City has recently made significant investments and efforts to improve water quality and mitigate debris on the City's beaches. As part of the Adopted Fiscal Year 2025 Budget, one-time funding was approved for a barber surf rake to support the Beach Clean-up Crew and increase the frequency of the City's beachfront waterline clean-up, as well as a new trash interceptor barge to be placed in the Los Angeles River to improve water quality. The City also has been actively working to leverage regional partnerships and advocate for regional infrastructure improvements to address upstream sewage spills and continues to advocate for additional state funding to be allocated to communities impacted by sewage spills, such as Long Beach.

For more information on the Jellyfishbot, the Youth Art Contest, as well as other PRM initiatives, visit lbparks.org.

About the City of Long Beach
Long Beach is nestled along the Southern California coast and home to approximately 466,000people. As an award-winning full-service charter city, Long Beach offers the amenities of a metropolitan city while maintaining a strong sense of individual and diverse neighborhoods, culture and community. With a bustling downtown and over six miles of scenic beaches, Long Beach is a renowned tourist and business destination and home to the iconic Queen Mary, nationally recognized Aquarium of the Pacific and Long Beach Airport, award-winning Long Beach Convention and Entertainment Center and world-class Port of Long Beach.

For more information about the City of Long Beach, visit longbeach.gov/. Follow us on social to keep up with the latest news: Facebook, X, Instagram and YouTube. More information about the Department of Parks, Recreation and Marine is available at longbeach.gov/park and on Facebook and Instagram.

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