Abstract: The present invention provides a system for recovering floating material, such as pollutants or debris, from the surfaces of bodies of water. This system is designed to be modular to be quickly transportable to any desired area in the world. The system uses an elongated scoop having a spiral shaped cross-section mounted on a floating vessel to pick up the floating material in a substantially laminar flow. The material is separated from the surface by a rotating frame having a mechanism on its periphery to separate the material. The mechanism can be of several embodiments including compressible absorbent pads, rigid or flexible paddles, permeable layers and eccentric frames. The separated material is removed from the separating mechanism and deposited into retaining troughs. The collected material is then pumped to inflatable collecting tanks which are towed behind the catamaran. The system is designed to be adaptable to a wide range of conditions and sites.