Women in Ocean Conservation
Making Women's Dive Day and Every Day Count for Ocean Protection
This Women's Dive Day, July 21, we are celebrating women who are leading community actions, fins on and fins off, for a clean and healthy ocean. Here, they share with us what they are doing and why they do it.
Jenny Dowling
"Managing Eco Koh Tao in conjunction with Crystal Dive, Koh Tao allows me to give something back to the ocean, through education, creating artificial dive sites, coral propagation, nurturing and inspiring people through the work that I do. Installing positive ideas for action in diver’s minds is so important. Being 100% AWARE, running regular ‘Dive Against Debris® ’ dives and joining the ‘Adopt a Dive Site™ ’ scheme is just a couple of the acts that one can do if you love the ocean."
Sabine Henkel
"As divers we are ambassadors of the ocean - and as dive professionals, we have an even greater responsibility to protect what we love. As a PADI Course Director, I strongly support future dive leaders in teaching their students in neutral buoyancy, getting involved and taking leadership roles in conservation. All our IDC candidates at Asia Divers learn how to organise Project AWARE Dive Against Debris and use the data to change habits - such as a change from plastic straws to metal/paper, reduce the use of plastic and spread the message across borders... Protect the Adventure. I just love my job and my office... the OCEAN!"
Clare Dutton
“Every diver falls in love with a special place under the waves. Unfortunately, we also witness the devastating human impact there too. If we as divers are not willing to step forward and protect it, how can we expect anyone else to? That is why I am a Project AWARE partner. Recently I took on the challenge to run Snowdon in North Wales to fundraise for this cause. My dive centre (Vivian Dive Centre) organises monthly debris dives and beach cleans to encourage everyone to act. These are small actions, but collectively we can change the fate of our oceans”.
Nic Emery
“During my time working in Malaysia, I witnessed the impact of human activities on fragile coral reefs. I was passionate about protecting my dive sites. When I returned to the UK to set up The Fifth Point Diving Centre, I knew I had to bring that passion home with me. People wrongly think our cold waters are hardy and are impervious to human pressures. Responsible diving techniques are not confined to the tropics. They MUST be applied to UK diving. We encourage our divers to develop their buoyancy, and not to take or touch – unless it’s litter of course!”
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