The Captains For Clean Water Podcast

A bill moving through Florida would make it legally dangerous to speak up about powerful industries — not by proving critics wrong, but by making public criticism too risky to attempt. In this episode, we break down SB 290 / HB 433, a quiet expansion of Florida’s food disparagement law that now reaches non-perishable products and agricultural practices. The result isn’t better information or public safety — it’s a chilling effect on speech, where ordinary people are forced to weigh the cost of a lawsuit before asking questions, sharing concerns, or speaking from lived experience. We show how fear replaces debate when lawsuits become a weapon to silence the public rather than answer criticism. From red tide to food transparency, this episode explores how accountability depends on citizens being able to speak early, imperfectly, and without legal intimidation. Because when the public is afraid to speak, power goes unchecked.

Politicians talk. Special interests spend. Our waters suffer. That’s Florida’s reality. The only thing standing between recovery and collapse is science. On today’s episode, we sit down with Dr. Steve Davis, Chief Science Officer at the Everglades Foundation — one of the people who’s been mapping out how this ecosystem actually works and what it’ll take to bring it back. Steve’s research and science is critical to the movement. Without his work, our fight for clean water would have no foundation — no credibility — just noise. Today, he breaks down what’s really happening in the Everglades, why it’s so complex, and the science-based solutions that can actually fix it. If you’ve ever wondered what’s really behind Florida’s water problems — and what it’s going to take to solve them — this is the episode to tune in for.

Pete Squibb is a retired wildlife biologist and a local fly fishing legend known for catching massive snook off the beaches of Sanibel and Captiva. Pete is known as the grandfather of Captains For Clean Water. He wrote the playbook on how to become a successful, grassroots movement. Without him, we wouldn't exist. Plain and simple. Pete has traveled all over the world studying different animals and ecosystems, including some interesting stories from his adventures in China. This is the story of Pete, his life, and the lessons he is passing down for the future generations.

John Lai is the president and CEO of the Sanibel-Captiva chamber of Commerce. John is at the forefront of leading the business community to be involved with the fight for clean water. In this episode, we hear from John on just how important the business community's voice is in this effort to save the Everglades. Own a business in Florida? This issue impacts you. Want to learn more? This episode is for you.

In this episode, we sit down with Captain Cody Rubner, a fishing guide based in Stuart, Florida, who represents the very best of what it means to be an advocate for our waters. Cody has stood up time and again for conservation, inspiring countless others to join the fight for cleaner, healthier ecosystems. Not only is Cody a full-time fisherman, but he also runs his own marketing agency, plays an active role with the American Saltwater Guides Association, and is always the first to answer the call when we at Captains for Clean Water need support. This conversation dives into what being an advocate really means, why it matters, and how anyone—angler or not—can make a difference.

In recent news, Governor Ron Desantis announced an agreement between the State of Florida and the U.S. Department of the Army that gives Florida the lead role in constructing federally funded Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) Projects. This episode aims to unpack the news and discuss what this means for the future of our Everglades. 

In this episode, we unpack some of the pressing questions that general public wants answers for. It is vitally important to be transparent with our audience - we would't be anywhere without our supporters. This format allows us to see what our supporters are curious about and where their focus is at. 

The fight for Florida’s waters didn’t start in a boardroom. It started on the bow of a skiff. We didn’t ask for this fight. We were just fishing guides in South Florida—spending more waking hours on the water than on dry land. We made a living chasing tarpon and snook, sharing the magic of wild Florida with anyone willing to step aboard. It was the best job in the world.Then, our waters started dying.Billions of gallons of toxic water from Lake Okeechobee were flushed into our estuaries. We watched in horror as seagrass meadows withered away, oyster beds vanished, and massive algae blooms suffocated life itself—fish, dolphins, turtles, manatees.Our beaches stank of death. The charter calls stopped coming. Our way of life crumbled before our eyes. This wasn’t some natural cycle. It was a man-made crisis, engineered and maintained by one of the most powerful, politically connected, and corrupt special interests in the world: Big Sugar. They’ve controlled Florida’s water for decades, rigging the system to protect their bottom line while communities and ecosystems pay the price. They bankroll politicians, bury science, and poison public trust—all to keep the status quo.We were supposed to stay quiet. To look the other way.But we didn’t. We stood up. A ragtag group of fishing guides—no money, no platform, just a fire in our bellies and an unshakable love for our waters. We started Captains For Clean Water to fight back.Because this isn’t just about fishing. It’s about clean drinking water for 9 million people. It’s about reviving ecosystems and rebuilding fisheries. It’s about protecting the beating heart of Florida’s tourism economy and preserving one of the most extraordinary landscapes on earth.This episode of our podcast is the heart of our story.It’s our origin, our fight, and the truth that powerful interests don’t want you to hear. It’s the story of the largest ecosystem restoration project ever attempted in human history, and the everyday people who refuse to give up.

This episode is a deep dive into one of the most urgent and threatening environmental battles in Florida: the Southland rock mine proposal in the Everglades Agricultural Area. We unpack the corruption, the fast-tracked approvals, the strategic language, and the political theater surrounding this project—and reveal how Big Sugar, private contractors, and local government worked behind closed doors to move it forward. From backdoor deals to Christmas Eve filings, from public confusion to deliberate misinformation, this is the full story you haven’t heard—but need to. If you care about clean water, public process, or the future of the Everglades, don’t miss this.