2021 marks the beginning of what the United Nations hopes will be a pivotal decade for the global ocean. Together with our global community, we are uniquely positioned to support the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science and Decade of Ecosystem Restoration to reverse the cycle of decline in ocean health by 2030. Support a growing number of Adopt a Dive Site® locations and local underwater citizen science actions for global impact.

Conservationists are outraged that the European Union and the United States – despite long promoting science-based shark conservation – once again served as the main obstacles to urgently needed protections for mako sharks through annual negotiations of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT).

To mark the launch of the first #UnderwaterSelfieDay, we share 10 Tips for Underwater Photographers. Pledged to follow Project AWARE's 10 Tips for Divers: Take Only Photos - Leave Only Bubbles. Underwater Selfie Day is a PADI and Go Pro initiative aimed at getting people around the world to make a statement for ocean conservation. The photo contest encourages divers to put a spotlight on the human connection to the ocean – showing millions of people around the world just how incredible it really is and why it’s worth protecting.

Les requins-taupes bleus de l’Atlantique, en danger d’extinction, figureront au cœur des délibérations que tiendra la Commission internationale pour la conservation des thonidés de l’Atlantique (CICTA) en 2020. Dans ce contexte, le Canada propose aujourd’hui des limites de captures fondées sur la science qui incluent une interdiction totale de la rétention à bord de ce requin gravement surexploité, afin d’en protéger la population de l’Atlantique nord.

Las poblaciones amenazadas de marrajo dientuso del Atlántico serán el foco de atención de las deliberaciones de 2020 de la Comisión Internacional para la Conservación del Atún Atlántico (ICCAT) tras la propuesta, presentada hoy por Canadá, de límites de captura basados en la ciencia, que incluyen una prohibición total de retención a bordo para proteger la intensamente sobreexplotada población del Atlántico norte.

Sometimes finding the perfect gift can be a daunting task. This is especially true during the holiday season. Why not treat your loved ones with a gift that keeps on giving and contributes to protecting what divers love the most: the ocean? From eco-clothing to Project AWARE courses for divers and non-divers alike, there are a full range of gifts you can make to spread the ocean love and make this year’s holiday season a special occasion to share your passion for ocean conservation with friends and family.

Endangered Atlantic shortfin mako sharks are set to take center stage in the 2020 deliberations of the International Commission for Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT), with Canada today proposing science-based catch limits that include a complete retention ban to protect the seriously overfished North Atlantic population. Negotiations kick off next week against a backdrop of COVID-19 related mako management delays, continued overfishing by European vessels, and exceptionally lenient and complex counterproposals from the United States and European Union.

Divers around the globe joined forces from 19-27 September 2020 to protect ocean health in honor of AWARE Week 2020. The third annual weeklong event took new forms this year as divers, and dive leaders participated online, in their communities and in the water where possible. We share the results and celebrate our amazing global community.

It's Action Time for Makos! We need EU and US citizens to reach out to public officials to get them to change their positions. The European Commissioner for Fisheries and the US Department of Commerce have the power to alter their respective positions, and we need to get them to act fast, before it’s too late for the mako shark.

The community of Curacao are true leaders in the fight to protect what they love and the Curacao Special Summer Underwater and Beach Clean-up truly underlined this. This event, organized by FORCE BLUE, The Dive Bus Curacao, Dive Curacao and supported by Project AWARE, became a beautiful reminder of community spirit, where a wonderful turnout of Divers and Non-Divers to support this island initiative for Voedselbank Curacao, became a gathering of devoted and like-minded spirits during troubled times!