Abstract: Apparatus and method for removing floating material from the surface of a body of liquid and for collecting the material has an endless belt-type materials transport mounted, as by rollers with vertically-separated horizontal rotation axes, to dispose the transport with a lower flight inclined downwardly from above the liquid surface at a frontal location to below the surface at a rearward location. A collection well is contiguously behind the rearward location. The transport is driven to advance the lower flight in the direction from the frontal location to the rearward location. This motion carries floating material from the liquid surface downward and rearward under the lower flight of the transport and releases it at the rearward location to float upward into the collection well. A method for floatage collection by steps that the foregoing apparatus performs is also disclosed.