Earth Day is an annual celebration on the 22nd April where events are held worldwide to demonstrate support for environmental protection. 

This year B&J held a weekend of environmental education and action to celebrate Earth Day and show support for underwater protection by completing two Dive Against Debris surveys in Salang Bay, Tioman.

Many thanks to all our volunteers and staff who worked so hard during the weekend. Your time and efforts are greatly appreciated - we couldn't do it without your help!

On Saturday, we completed the Project AWARE Specialty course with a presentation by James and Nic who discussed the most pressing problems facing vulnerable aquatic environments and the everyday actions we can take to help protect them.

On Sunday we put our new found environmental knowledge into practice and carried out two Dive Against Debris surveys, removing a total of 25kg of trash from Salang House Reef and Salang Jetty. 

During the first dive of the day, our volunteers and staff removed aluminium cans, playing cards, paper, plastic packaging and a huge amount of thick line fishing net that was smothering the beautiful corals.

After lunch, the second dive at the jetty removed a huge lengths of mono filament fishing line, sinkers and hooks plus oil filters from boats, more aluminum cans and clothes. 

All of this trash entered the ocean because of unthoughtful humans. The problem with the ocean is that most people can't see beneath the waves - once their rubbish is discarded it is out of sight out of mind. It's only divers and snorkellers that actually see the damage that is done, and it's only divers that have the skills to rectify the problem.

Fishing is a huge problem in Tioman itself. Even though we are a Marine Park where fishing is prohibited, we still have issues with large fishing boats in our waters dropping fishing cages and nets that will inevitably end up killing our marine life and choking our corals. And of course, jetties are great places to fish from so it is no wonder that we found a spider web of line and hooks near the jetty where people have cast in to the ocean an become stuck on coral leading to the line snapping. 

It is only with the help of volunteers removing debris, recording and submitting data that will help win this never ending battle. Until then, EVERY dive we do will be a Dive Against Debris because if divers don't look after our beautiful underwater environment then no one will.

Our next Project AWARE event will be held on the 6th to the 8th of June for World Oceans Day. If you are interested in taking part in our underwater clean ups and Crown of Thorn injecting activities then please drop an email to [email protected]