Building on the Mataking Island, Sabah, Malaysia previous community events, the theme for the 2011 annual event was “Communities Working Together”.
Each year during June, The Reef Dive Resort at Mataking Island comes together with schools, community leaders, local NGO’s and local authorities to make the aquatic world a better place in the Sabah area.

It’s been 21 years since Project AWARE first began. The world of scuba diving was much different then. And so were the ways of conservation. We were still learning about the issues and educating ourselves on sustainable practices underwater.
As the AWARE mission, logo and strategies have evolved over the years, so have the environmental priorities of the world. And together, we step up our efforts for the ocean wherever they’re needed most. Now, we’re prioritizing shark protection and working to eliminate marine debris from the world’s ocean.

On 12th June 2011, PADI Platinum Course Director, Camille Lemmens will swap his scuba diving fins for running shoes as he participates in the Laguna Phuket International Marathon, Thailand to raise funds for our ocean planet.
“I've taken part in many marathons but this year I wanted to do something a little different. So I’m raising funds for Project AWARE, whose goal is to encourage and inspire divers to be part of the solution for ocean protection.” says Lemmens.

PARIS — Sharks can be worth far more when they are swimming around the reef than when they are in a bowl of soup — as much as nearly $2 million each, in fact, according to the results of a study released Monday.

The crew at Camel Dive Club in Egypt have recorded 15 sightings of Giant Manta Rays (Manta Birostris) during the month of May. They've developed their own sightings database to discover if they see the same individual more than once.
This was project was initiated by Dr Andrea Marshall of Marine Mega Fauna in Mozambique, who came to stay with the club in July last year. Andrea believes the mantas in Sharm el Sheikh are juveniles.
2-3 metres may sound big to you and me but Andrea is in contact with adult mantas daily which can grow up to 7 metres in wing span!

Whale sharks (Rhincodon typus) are often thought to be solitary behemoths that live and feed in the open ocean.

Well, 30 divers and snorkelers from OceanAdventures Dive Center in Kolding, Denmark can answer that question when last Saturday they cleaned the lake as part of a Project AWARE Dive Against Debris event.

Utila Dive Centre prides itself as being ecologically aware. It's been the dive center's ethos to educate divers about the reef and the environment in every diver course they teach. By educating divers of all levels, they ensure that divers interact in a safe and positive way and spread the word as they continue traveling and diving the world.