Local scuba divers and Sydney Dive Academy participated in Dive Against Debris last weekend at Bare Island, La Perouse.

Trained divers not only removed underwater debris such as plastic bottles, plastic bags and fishing line, but also identified and documented everything we see underwater in a larger effort to prevent marine debris.

“Marine debris or our trash in the ocean makes its way to our underwater environments by the ton,” William Morris from Sydney Dive Academy (SDA) said. “Divers around the world are demanding a permanent reduction in and prevention of the garbage we create that damages sensitive marine ecosystems - even in some of the most remote corners of the globe.”

SDAs commitment to working with divers to address marine debris issues locally and contribute to the global view of marine debris underwater is ongoing with a range of regular events including marine identification, lead removal and rubbish removal dives over the years says William Morris, Dive Master-Sydney Dive Academy.

“Scuba divers are uniquely positioned to tackle the global marine debris issue, to take action every day and prevent debris from entering the ocean as well as remove it once there,” Morris said.

Dive Against Debris, organised worldwide by Project AWARE Foundation, a nonprofit organisationmobilising divers to protect the ocean, has an underwater approach thats totally unique. Its a year-round, citizen science program to tackle trash beneath the surface and address its negative impacts.