COLUMBIA, S.C. — Two South Carolina nonprofits are teaming up to help promote and protect some of the state’s most famous waterways.

Outdoor enthusiasts have the opportunity to get some brag swag sun shirts featuring their favorite waterways with the added bonus of conserving and protecting the state’s world-famous waterways.

A partnership between the South Carolina Boating and Fishing Alliance (SCBFA) and Global Eco Adventures (GEA) has launched the “Back Your Water” campaign with the waterway shirts. A donation from the sale of each shirt will be made to much-needed clean water, habitat enhancement, and floodwater monitoring programs. The price of the shirts is $40.

The sun shirts, made by Local Boy Outfitters of Columbia, will feature four of the state’s most premier waterways: Lake Hartwell and Lake Wylie in the Upstate; Murray in the Midlands; and Santee Cooper Lakes in the Lowcountry. The Charleston Harbor and other popular waterways will be featured on the shirts in the near future.

“South Carolinians love their waterways,” said Gettys Brannon, CEO of the SCBFA. “We are excited for South Carolinians to be able to wear their water and contribute money directly back to the waterways we all enjoy.”

South Carolina is the twenty-third most populous state but ranks seventh in the U.S. in registered boats per capita and sales over 725,000 fishing licenses per year.

The Back Your Water campaign is in conjunction with the first South Carolina Boating and Fishing Week that the General Assembly has set for the week of June 7th.

“Boating and fishing are South Carolina’s most popular outdoor recreational activities, and we all are responsible for protecting our natural resources for future generations,” said Brannon. “Global Eco Adventures for years has been dedicated to this effort. Every penny donated will go directly to their conservation efforts.”

“We are proud to stand with the South Carolina Boating and Fishing Alliance (SCBFA) as part of the “Back Your Water” campaign,” said Tom Mullikin, Chairman of the Board of GEA. “SCBFA is an important voice protecting our state’s waterways, and every dollar contributed to GEA will go directly to our programs for floodwater monitors, habitat restoration, and water cleanups,” said Mullikin.

Both Brannon and Mullikin expressed appreciation to the S. C. Department of Natural Resources for its advice and support.

“We are excited to see the SCBFA partnering on a program with GEA to raise monies for these important resource issues,” said Ross Self, SCDNR Chief of Freshwater Fisheries. “I am particularly excited to see the inclusion of habitat enhancement as a priority.  Habitat has become an increasingly critical issue as the state’s reservoirs age, and the timber and woody debris that existed when the waterways were impounded have broken down over time.  Enhancement of larger reservoir habitat is a huge effort and will require innovative thinking and partnerships to really move the needle.”

To purchase the shirts, please visit: https://cap-clothing.com/clients/south-carolina-boating-fishing-alliance