493,047 and counting. That’s how many pieces of rubbish have been reported and removed from our ocean since 2011 through Project AWARE’s Dive Against Debris program. The weight of these items when combined is equal to that of over 3000 people*. 

As we approach the half a million mark, we catch up with AWARE’s Program Specialist, Hannah Pragnell-Raasch to discover a little bit more about what the Dive Against Debris data tells us so far.

Almost a 500k pieces of trash removed so far. That’s pretty impressive. What exactly are we finding underwater?

Hannah: There’s a vast array of debris items that divers are reporting from the weird and whacky items like a pogo stick or set of false teeth to the usual suspects – plastic bags, drinks bottles and aluminum cans. With 150 million metric tons of mismanaged plastic conservatively estimated to make its way into the ocean by 2025, it sadly comes as no surprise that plastic items are consistently the top items reported – accounting for almost 70% of all debris items reported to date. That’s really quite staggering and serves as a harsh reminder that we, the human population, really are choking our marine environment.

Is all this rubbish found in specific places or is it everywhere?

Hannah: Marine debris gets everywhere, even to the most remote locations. We may not always be able to see it, but it’s there, smothering habitats and injuring and killing marine life. Currently Dive Against Debris surveys have been conducted in over 50 countries - top reporting countries are the US, Thailand and Greece. We must remember though, this is referring to where surveys are being conducted, it doesn’t mean that there’s not more marine debris out there in different locations.There’s a lot more rubbish in the ocean that’s left unreported. That’s why we need divers all around the world to put their scuba skills to good use and Dive Against Debris. Only divers have the skills required to collect this data which is essential if we are going to combat the marine debris crisis.

How many divers have been involved in the Dive Against Debris program so far?

Hannah: Over 25,600 divers have taken part in more than 1,500 Dive Against Debris surveys across the globe. It’s inspiring to see so many people unite through such an important issue facing today’s ocean planet. Before appearing on the interactive Dive Against Debris Map, all data submitted online undergoes a stringent quality review in order to maintain data quality and integrity. As we are focusing exclusively on what is found beneath the waves, all land data is removed and any data inconsistencies are clarified with the survey leader and corrected. This is what makes Dive Against Debris so unique – it’s the only program of its kind to focus exclusively on providing an accurate and quantitative perspective of rubbish found underwater.

Once rubbish enters the ocean how does that impact ocean wildlife and habitats?

Hannah: The impact is devastating – marine debris chokes, suffocates, entangles, injures and kills our precious marine life and indeed habitats. Animals are unable to distinguish between what’s rubbish and what’s not. This makes them extremely vulnerable to ingestion and entanglement which then leads to death. And it’s not just the big stuff we need to worry about; it’s the little stuff that we can’t see that’s even more concerning. Plastic, for example, exists for decades in the marine environment – breaking down into smaller and smaller pieces unseen to the naked eye. It’s these microscopic pieces that enter the base of the food chain, bioaccumulating up through the trophic levels. If you like to eat seafood, it’s probably quite likely you too have ingested marine debris. 

Marine debris is a problem that is often regarded as out of sight, out of mind. Why is it important to report your Dive Against Debris data online?

Hannah: In order to address the marine debris issue at the higher level including enforcing stringent legislation, informing policy change and improving waste management, we need data to build a strong case for support. That’s why I’m a Dive Against Debris advocate – it’s the only marine debris removal program that focuses exclusively on the types and quantities of marine debris found underwater. Comparatively speaking, there’s actually quite a lot of information available regarding land and surface debris but it’s the underwater data that is really lacking. The marine debris issue is out of sight, out of mind – people can’t see it, there’s little information available and therefore it’s easy to ignore it. Dive Against Debris aims to fill this gap – providing quantitative data, and an accurate perspective about underwater marine debris, that policy-makers simply cannot ignore. Submitting the data online is the essential link – if divers don’t submit their data, we can’t use it and therefore it’s not contributing to change. 

So we need data to make a change. How has Project AWARE used this data so far?

Hannah: Together, we’re getting this information out into the global arena – presenting at international conferences, sharing with governments and working with our alliance partners to address the marine debris issue and work towards meaningful solutions at local, national and international levels. For example, last year Project AWARE delivered the outstanding work of Dive Against Debris volunteers at the Conference of Parties to the Convention of Migratory Species and at the IUCN World Parks Congress. Here we shone a light on the great efforts of volunteer divers, shared the data we have and highlighted the urgent need to address the devastating impacts of marine debris. This year we’ve already started work laying a framework for involvement with various groups. And Project AWARE is also a member of the Seas at Risk Alliance, the Boomerang Alliance and the Trash Free Seas Alliance. Here our role is to bring the underwater persceptive to the partnerships we're forming through the data we collect and the actions our community takes.

What’s your take home message for anyone wanting to help?

Hannah: It’s simple really – take positive action against marine debris – be a debris activist and don’t let your dives go to waste. Dive Against Debris really does empower divers to take action and contribute to meaningful and positive change. Getting involved helps ensure we keep our precious marine environment clean, healthy and abundant. To me, as a scuba diver, it’s a no brainer. Be a Debris Activist  and don't let your dives go to waste. 

Marine debris is one of the biggest ocean issues of our time. You can take action this Earth Day and every day. Find out more on how you can make your dives count - Dive Against Debris.

* calculated with one person weighing on average 80 kilograms