Yamaha Rightwaters celebrates six years of marine conservation

Yamaha Rightwaters marked its sixth anniversary on Sunday, June 8, on World Oceans Day 2025. Launched in 2019, Yamaha Rightwaters supports programs that make significant progress in keeping waterways clean and promote sustainability for generations to come.

Several key metrics throughout the entire program include:

• More than 136,427 pounds of plastic shipping covers recycled through the Yamaha Rightwaters Recycling Program with Nexus Circular.
• More than 986 tons of debris removed from U.S. rivers and lakes through collaborations with cleanup organizations including Keep the Tennessee River Beautiful, Keep the Golden Isles Beautiful and the Conch Republic Marine Army.
• Approximately 228,621 metric tons of carbon dioxide captured through the Ducks Unlimited Gulf Coast Initiative.

Yamaha Rightwaters was founded on four core pillars: restoring marine habitats, supporting academic research, managing invasive species and promoting marine stewardship.

“At its core, the Yamaha Rightwaters sustainability initiative exists to protect the very environments where our customers use our products,” said Joshua Grier, sustainability program manager of Yamaha U.S. Marine Business Unit. “Whether it’s carbon reduction, plastic recycling, or habitat restoration, these efforts are driven by a long-term vision of sustainability. We believe cleaner, healthier marine habitats aren’t just good for the environment—they’re also essential to the future of the marine industry.”

From June 2024 through June 2025, Yamaha Rightwaters’ efforts also reinforced Yamaha’s overall goals to pursue carbon neutrality. Highlights from the past 12 months include:

Scientific research and marine education

In collaboration with Bonefish & Tarpon Trust (BTT), Yamaha Rightwaters contributed to the tagging of 200 migratory tarpon as part of the Tarpon Acoustic Tagging Project. The data collected helps identify critical habitats and guides future conservation and restoration efforts. BTT also reached a major milestone in 2024, achieving its five-year goal to plant 100,000 mangroves in the Northern Bahamas. This large-scale reforestation project helps restore coastal ecosystems and supports marine biodiversity. Yamaha Rightwaters’ backing also expanded BTT’s educational programs in Belize, reaching more than 5,000 students and 400 teachers with lessons on marine science, sustainability and stewardship.

Yamaha Rightwaters also supports the International Game Fish Association (IGFA) by sponsoring the IGFA Passports to Fishing Program and the IGFA Great Marlin Race. The Passports to Fishing initiative equips educators around the world with “Fishing Clinics in a Box” that promote ethical angling and conservation awareness. Since its launch in 2019, the program has distributed 195 kits in 45 countries across six continents, reaching more than 41,000 children. Available in 17 languages and used by partners such as the National Park Service, the program is a key tool for cultivating the next generation of responsible anglers.

Furthering support of academic marine research, Yamaha Rightwaters partnered with the Pfleger Institute of Environmental Research (PIER) on two major initiatives: swordfish migration studies and sustainable white seabass fishery management. Yamaha Rightwaters provided a 175-horsepower V MAX SHO outboard engine for PIER’s research vessel, expanding its capabilities for fieldwork. To date, PIER has deployed more than 500 archival tags in white seabass and continues to track swordfish movement across the North Pacific, contributing critical data to help improve fishery management and conservation policies.

Habitat restoration and community engagement

Yamaha Rightwaters remains a key sponsor of the Emerald Coast Open Lionfish Tournament, one of the world’s largest invasive species removal efforts. In 2025, 143 tournament participants removed approximately 20,500 lionfish from Florida’s coastal waters. The annual event includes community education and Destin Restaurant Week, where chefs featured lionfish as a sustainable seafood option.

Advancing clean energy innovation

In 2024, Yamaha joined the Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Energy Association (FCHEA) to strengthen its commitment to clean energy and hydrogen-based propulsion. Yamaha began exploring hydrogen technology in 2003 and continues to work with partners to develop hydrogen-powered engines. These efforts support the company’s multi-technology strategy to cut carbon emissions while maintaining performance and reliability. Yamaha also contributes to U.S. clean energy policy and views hydrogen as an important part of a more sustainable marine future.