Inspired by his father, a scuba diver of more than 35 years, Jack Fishman learned to dive at just eight years old. When he first donned scuba gear and dipped his head below the surface, he discovered a world without limitation – he was exposed to countless fish, marine creatures and underwater vistas. He revelled at the bright and beautiful colors, shapes and patterns of the ocean world. During annual family vacations in Bonaire, he began to develop a connection to marine conservation. Through repeated visits to the island over the course of ten years, Jack witnessed the reefs of Bonaire changing, dying and growing. As conditions shifted, so too did his awareness and understanding of the influence of humans on underwater environments. He knew he wanted to do something to show people the value and importance of the ocean and its creatures, and inspire others to take action to protect it.

Now a scuba instructor and Marine Conservation Coordinator at Rainbow Reef Dive Center in Florida Keys, US, Jack leads the public in marine conservation themed dives, outreach programs and events. He credits his positive interactions with dive guests as the ultimate factor driving him to engage with them to preserve our ocean.

Says Jack, “Everyone can relate, in some way, to the incredible diversity of life underwater and in that, can find more meaning in their lives and in their diving. Watching each person find his or her way is a truly rewarding experience.”

 When Project AWARE launched Adopt a Dive Site™ earlier this year, Jack was one of the first to sign up and commit to monthly monitoring of his local dive site through Dive Against Debris™ surveys. But he didn’t stop there… With a plethora of passionate, conservation-minded staff instructors on the Rainbow Reef Dive team, Jack saw an opportunity to take their Adopt a Dive Site commitment a step further to make an even greater impact. Jack and his colleagues rallied numerous staff members to each adopt a different dive site. The Florida Keys is the third largest barrier reef in the world, and given their regular trips to numerous dive sites along the reef, it only made sense to make the most of their dives and add more purpose – 20+ sites have already been adopted by the Rainbow Reef team!

Since leading Dive Against Debris surveys as part of Adopt a Dive Site, Jack has been amazed by the positive feedback of Rainbow Reef’s dive guests. He hopes that as he continues to engage guests in eco-actions during dives, he’ll foster widespread love for our ocean and motivate others to conserve it.

Jack shares, “The ocean’s vastness, beauty and mystery create the cornerstone of our earth. We must protect it and all of its inhabitants so that other generations can continue the task, feel inspired to take action, and be a part of something greater than themselves.”

Project AWARE thanks Jack for spearheading the Adopt a Dive Site movement in Florida Keys. Learn more about how you can Dive Against Debris or Adopt a Dive Site today.