Dive Friends Bonaire is doing everything in their power to help their endangered sea turtle population. Last month they gathered 115 volunteers to Dive Against Debris targeting the South Pier of Bonaire. This working pier is often used for fishing and normally off limits to divers. 

The Bonaire team joined forces with Sea Turtle Conservation Bonaire (STCB) to give divers more information about the Fishing Line Project which aims to reduce the amount of fishing line, hooks, nets and other debris found on Bonaire’s reefs.

“All these items pose a great threat to our endangered sea turtle population,” said Asko Zuidam of Dive Friends Bonaire who briefed the divers about what trash should be recovered and what should be left behind.

The fantastic dive volunteers collected 863 items in total and submitted the data to Project AWARE.  Rubbish included 188 glass bottles, 101 fishing lines, 187 pieces of random plastic, 79 glass fragments, 41 pieces of rope, 43 beverage cans, 54 plastic cups, 34 plastic caps, 2 CDs and more.

This photo of a baby turtle making his first steps towards a cleaner ocean was taken just last night by one of the instructors at Dive Friends Bonaire.  It’s a powerful reminder of why divers across the globe Dive Against Debris.  Thanks to everyone who uses their dive skills to stop rubbish harming our precious marine life, a big thanks to Dive Friends Bonaire whose next event is Saturday, September 22nd, 2012. 

Debris Month of Action is coming up soon: You can grab all your tools including our Stop the Ocean’s Silent Killer Sign here:  http://www.projectaware.org/project/debris-month-action-kit

• Add the weight of your debris to your sign
• Take a group shot with your sign
• Post your sign to www.facebook.com/ProjectAWAREFoundation
• Tweet your pic #DebrisMonthofAction @projectaware.org; upload to My Ocean or add it to our FlickR Group: http://www.flickr.com/groups/debris-month-action/