The annual Palm Beach International Boat Show celebrates Florida’s love of boating, fishing, and access to our beautiful waters and marine life. The 2022 show, which took place March 24-27, resulted in a more tangible commitment to protecting Florida’s aquatic wonders: a $300,000 donation to our Foundation to protect marine wildlife and advance sustainability courtesy of the Marine Industries Association of Palm Beach County (MIAPBC) and Informa Markets.
The generous gift comes in response to the unusual manatee mortality event and the desperate need for manatee habitat restoration. Funds will be used to support the conservation and restoration of manatee habitat on Florida’s east coast in the hopes of preventing further starvation for Florida’s state marine mammal. Additionally, restoration of manatee habitat directly improves water quality for hundreds of species and helps preserve the marine biodiversity appreciated by millions of Floridians.
MIAPBC is a not-for-profit organization that promotes and protects the marine industry in Palm Beach County. Since its inception, it has donated over $2.5 million to local nonprofit organizations and scholarship candidates, including more than 40 local marine-related events and nonprofits that protect and promote the marine industry in Palm Beach County and beyond.
“We’re very excited about the impact this show has had on West Palm Beach, and we’re also proud to be environmental stewards,” said Andrew Doole, President of the U.S. Boat Shows Division with Informa Markets.
“This donation is greatly appreciated and will help us continue promoting habitat conservation and healthy waterways overall in the state,” said Andrew Walker, Foundation President & CEO.
