What are Adopt A Dive Site participants required to do?

Participants will pledge to carry out monthly Dive Against Debris® surveys, reporting each month from the same location. Participants will also seek to reduce their own waste production and encourage their community of divers to take action on rubbish through personal commitment. In return, you’ll be provided with survey tools to help implement their actions, a yearly report on the state of their local dive site [for those who have reported at least once a month across 12 consecutive months] and recognition tools to share their stewardship with customers and the community.

Can I adopt multiple sites?

Yes you can. But you will still need to commit to conducting Dive Against Debris surveys at each site every month. So if you have adopted three sites, we’ll expect Dive Against Debris data from each site, each month.

What if my site is free from debris one month, should I report that?

Absolutely! Month to month there can be changes in how much debris is found at a site. Knowing which months are free from debris could provide helpful information as to why changes are occurring.

Sometimes weather conditions prevent us from accessing our dive site. Does that mean I can’t Adopt A Dive Site?

Not at all. We understand that weather conditions may prevent access from time to time. Likewise we also know that some sites are closed during particular times of year. That’s ok. Just let us know in the sign up process at www.projectaware.org/AdoptADiveSite. However being too busy, or running courses in high season isn’t a great excuse.

If you're unable to conduct monthly Dive Against Debris surveys for other reasons (you're too busy or running courses in high season, etc), then please submit data through our regular Dive Against Debris program. Adopt a Dive Site is reserved for dive centers who are able to commit to regular, repeated monthly Dive Against Debris surveys at designated dive sites. Give us a call if you still have questions about what level of commitment to Dive Against Debris is right for you!

What happens if I don’t report Dive Against Debris data each month?

We’ll review your Dive Against Debris data submissions every month. If we haven’t received any data from you we’ll want to know why. If you have not submitted data for three consecutive months we’ll suggest that you leave Adopt A Dive Site. Committing to monthly Dive Against Debris surveys, including submitting data,  isn’t for everyone – and that’s totally ok. If the level of commitment required through Adopt A Dive Site is not appropriate for you, you can still conduct Dive Against Debris surveys anytime, anywhere in the world.

I don’t think I can commit to doing Dive Against Debris surveys each month. Does that mean I can’t submit my surveys at all?

Absolutely not! We’d like your data as frequently as possible but we understand that might not be possible each and every month. If you can’t commit to monthly surveys then you can still keep doing Dive Against Debris surveys. That’s great and is equally important. Adopt A Dive Site is targeted for people that are able to conduct monthly Dive Against Debris surveys at the same dive site. If this level of commitment is not appropriate for you at this moment in time, you can still conduct Dive Against Debris surveys any time, any where in the world. 

Do I need to be a Dive Against Debris Specialty Instructor to Adopt A Dive Site?

No. You just need to be committed. We have recreational divers, underwater research groups and local community organisations. As long as you have submitted Dive Against Debris data in the past and you are committed then we’d like to hear from you.

What happens once I’ve submitted consistent monthly Dive Against Debris surveys for one year?

Once we’ve received at least 12 consecutive Dive Against Debris surveys across 12 months we’ll provide you with a Dive Against Debris Data Snapshot sharing information on the data we’ve received from your site.