Every Dive a Survey Dive as part of Project AWARE
#EveryDiveaSurveyDive is the slogan of Project AWARE. Scuba Center Asia is a 100% AWARE 5* IDC Dive Resort. This means that we are not only supporting the actions taken by Project AWARE but we are actively contributing to Marine Conservation locally and spread our love for the Ocean and local environment as much as possible.
In the old days we organized every month a specific Dive Against Debris at the dive resort. Nowadays a so called clean up dive is part of our daily conservation actions.
Dive Against Debris versus Adopt a Divesite
Another very interesting fact about us is that we adopted a dive site! Adopt a Divesite is a next level Dive Against Debris. This means we carry surveys from the same dive site and report back including the quantities of marine debris to Project AWARE. Now in real life we should do this every month, but sometimes due to weather conditions or other factors we can’t go back to the same spot. Especially because we Adopt divesite Manta Bay in Nusa Penida. Here the waves can be enormous or the dive site can have other strenuous conditions.
Therefore, we embrace the fact that Every Dive at Manta Bay is a survey Dive.
Debris worldwide becomes Marine Debris
The oceans cover 71% of the earth’s surface and are home to over 50% of all life on earth. More than half of the oxygen on earth is produced by microscopic phytoplankton. And between 60-80% of the world’s population relies on the ocean to provide their main source of protein. Here in Indonesia the ocean is particularly important. It brings in a huge source of income for many local people, through both fishing and tourism. But, because of the large currents that meet here in Indonesia trash from across the world accumulates here. From plastic bottles, straws and containers to diapers and medical waste. It can all be found washed up here on beaches and coral reefs.
Survey Data matters! #NextMillion2020
In Nusa Lembongan we are very lucky to have little to no trash in our waters. This means that our dive sites still have pristine corals and a whole host of other marine life. Although you also know that debris is carried by currents plus the rainy season is coming. On land there is unfortunately more rubbish that we actually want. So yes, unfortunately it is just a
manner of time when the ocean brings out the debris (created by us humans around the world, not only at the Nusa Islands or Bali).
And Yes again; We still need to schedule Clean-up dives, or the so called Dive Against Debris, collect data and report that back to Project AWARE. Because data matters! Together we can make that difference and we keep collecting those data, even report the debris free dive sites, we get a better view and insights on how, when, where the debris is coming from. Plus, we help Project AWARE new #Nextmillion2020 mission to encourage the global dive community to make Every Dive a Survey Dive. Overall, it will build evidence on the global marine debris crisis.
#EveryDiveaSurveyDive by Scuba Center Asia team
On the 30th of November 2019 we took seven amazing people out to our dive site Manta Bay at Nusa Penida.
This was going to be an amazing Dive Against Debris! Two instructors, IDC candidates of #IDCwithKim, three Divemaster candidates and Gusti one of our Bar staff were all there. On a side note, a big part of the Divemaster Course is to get to know more about Project AWARE and to get involved, take action and be the ambassadors of the ocean.
As we arrived into Manta Bay at Nusa Penida the water looked clear and calm. Perfect conditions for the clean up dive. Armed with Project AWARE mash bags a camera and heaps of enthusiasm we jumped in!
Swimming out across the bay we searched for debris. Sweeping the bottom in two separate groups we swam over beautiful corals, spotted Nemo, a huge white mouth Moray Eel, nudibranchs and loads of beautiful reef fish. But no trash! After 45 minutes we ended the dive coming back onto the boat with only a tiny scrap of plastic to show for the dive. Despite there being no trash, no marine debris we had an amazing time.
The lack of trash collected on our dive is an excellent sign that the dive sites around here are debris free and thriving. But we will not stop now, we are already organizing our next official Dive Against Debris. In the mean time we will continue to monitor all of our dive sites and pick up any debris we see during our fun dives.
By doing this and reporting our findings to Project AWARE we are able to assist scientists around the world to better understand how Marine Debris is moving around our oceans.
Are you already interested to sign up for a dive with us?! Don’t forget #EveryDiveaSurveyDive
