Yamaha Rightwaters and Bonefish & Tarpon Trust Expand Partnership to Advance Critical Marine Research and Habitat Restoration

MIAMI--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Yamaha Rightwaters™ deepened its commitment to marine conservation by renewing its partnership with Bonefish & Tarpon Trust^® (BTT) through a three-year agreement focused on protecting and restoring critical fisheries and habitats. The expanded relationship advances science-based initiatives, including mapping juvenile tarpon habitats, designing nursery habitats and restoring critical ecosystems in decline.

Yamaha Rightwaters continues as the "Official Outboard of the Trust" and has the opportunity to name one of the organization's ongoing habitat restoration programs this year. In addition, the renewed agreement recognizes Yamaha Rightwaters as a Platinum Partner. Yamaha will provide outboards for the three boats featured in BTT’s 2025 Florida Boat Sweepstakes, which supports BTT’s critical work to improve water quality in Florida and ensure healthy habitats and effective fisheries management.

"Partnering with Bonefish & Tarpon Trust allows us to take direct action to protect marine ecosystems and support the future of recreational fishing," said Joshua Grier, sustainability program manager, Yamaha U.S. Marine Business Unit. "By investing in scientific research and habitat restoration, we help ensure healthy marine environments and our industry can thrive together."

BTT’s Tarpon Acoustic Tagging Project, also supported by Yamaha Rightwaters, tagged 200 migratory fish. The data collected helps pinpoint key areas for conservation and habitat restoration, guiding future projects and resource allocation. BTT also reached its five-year goal to plant 100,000 mangroves in the Northern Bahamas to help restore the coastal ecosystem and strengthen marine biodiversity. In addition, support from Yamaha Rightwaters helped expand BTT’s educational outreach in Belize, which engaged 5,000 students and 400 teachers in 2024. These programs teach participants about environmental stewardship and the importance of research in sustaining healthy fisheries and marine habitats.

"Yamaha Rightwaters is a leader in the restoration and stewardship of our marine environment," said Jim McDuffie, President and CEO of Bonefish & Tarpon Trust. “We value Yamaha's partnership and appreciate their generous support, which powers our science-based mission to restore critical habitats and engage communities in protecting flats fisheries essential to coastal economies and ecosystems.”

Yamaha Rightwaters became an official BTT supporter in 2022, providing an outboard for the organization’s bonefish spawning research vessel in the Florida Keys. In spring 2023, BTT researchers confirmed a bonefish spawning site in the Florida Keys, a key discovery for species recovery.

Bonefish & Tarpon Trust's mission is to conserve bonefish, tarpon and permit—the species, their habitats and the larger fisheries they comprise. BTT pursues this mission through science-based conservation, education and advocacy across Florida, the Bahamas, Belize and Mexico, as well as coastal states from Texas to Virginia.

Learn more at www.BTT.org.

Yamaha Rightwaters is a national sustainability program encompassing all of Yamaha Marine's conservation and water quality efforts. Program initiatives include habitat restoration, support for scientific research, mitigation of invasive species, reduction of marine debris, and environmental stewardship education. Yamaha Rightwaters reinforces Yamaha's long-standing history of natural resource conservation, support of sustainable recreational fishing and water resources, and the Angler Code of Ethics, which requires pro anglers to adhere to principles of stewardship for all marine resources.

Yamaha’s U.S. Marine Business Unit, based in Kennesaw, Ga., is responsible for the sales, marketing, and distribution of Yamaha Marine products in the U.S. including Yamaha Outboards, Yamaha WaveRunners^®, Yamaha Boats, G3^® Boats and Skeeter^® Boats. Supporting 2,400 dealers and boat builders nationwide, Yamaha is the industry leader in reliability, performance, technology and customer service.

REMEMBER to always observe all applicable boating laws. Never drink and drive. Dress properly with a USCG-approved personal floatation device and protective gear.

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