Jellyfishbot! On a Mission to Clean Up Long Beach Marinas
Aquarium youth volunteers remove trash from local waterways and inspire others to get involved
The Jellyfishbot, a remotely controlled debris-collecting device, removes trash in the water by placing it into an attached net. Credit: Aquarium of the Pacific
October 3, 2025
If you visit a Long Beach marina, there is a possibility that you may see a robot collecting trash from the water. It’s called the Jellyfishbot. This remote operated device can remove up to one hundred and sixty pounds of debris from the water’s surface in one mission.
The Jellyfishbot is one of the many tools used by the City of Long Beach Department of Parks, Recreation and Marine Bureau’s efforts to raise awareness about ocean pollution and help clean local marinas. In collaboration with the Marine Bureau, Aquarium of the Pacific youth volunteers known as the Marine Debris Detectives are taking the robot to the water and helping to spread the message, while finding new ways to evolve the program.
These youth volunteers pilot the robot in Rainbow Harbor to collect debris that has made its way to the wetland and marina spaces from the nearby watershed systems. They also show the public how the device works and even allow them to operate the Jellyfishbot.
These Aquarium volunteers use this as an opportunity to engage with others on the topic of marine pollution. The debris collected is sorted into various piles for recycling and removal. This data is then inputted into the Marine Debris Tracker app, an app that the public can use on iOS and Android devices. So far this year, these volunteers have helped remove more than 800 pieces of trash from local waters using the Jellyfishbot and have engaged one-on-one with hundreds of people. By building awareness about ocean debris through this evolving program, the youth volunteers hope to inspire others to join them on their crusade to help keep the ocean clean.
