Following the success of the 2022 PADI AWARE week, which saw divers, professionals and operators taking action for the ocean on a global scale, here are three quick and easy ways that you can augment your ocean conservation actions: 

1. Teach PADI AWARE Specialities – FREE!

PADI has historically donated 100 percent of the Specialty Instructor application fees for PADI AWARE courses, Dive Against Debris and Shark Conservation to the PADI AWARE FoundationTM. Those donations have supported the largest underwater marine debris movement on the planet, as well as the protection of vulnerable shark and ray species. But, there’s still much more that needs to be done. Which is why, in support of PADI’s Mission  and to make teaching conservation more accessible than ever, PADI and PADI AWARE have changed from the required usual fee to a suggested donation of US$30 (or more) for all current and future PADI AWARE Specialty Instructor course application fees. In addition, the global PADI Regional Headquarters will donate a portion of the student eLearning fees to the AWARE Foundation to help drive the PADI Blueprint for Ocean Action. Whether you are an Instructor looking to diversify your knowledge, or an operator looking to upskill your staff, this is a great way to get started and help save the ocean! 

2. Make every dive a survey dive – for you and your students

Since July 2022, divers have been able to tackle marine debris online via the new and improved Dive Against Debris eLearning course, which is available in 8 languages. The heart of the PADI AWARE marine debris program since 2011, Dive Against Debris has advanced ground breaking marine research, producing two scientific publications mapping the global state of marine debris.

Now available as a PADI eLearning® program, , the Dive Against Debris Specialty has been revised for modern learning and easier access to conservation action for students around the world. PADI Freediving Instructors and PADI Advanced Mermaid Instructors may now also qualify to earn the Dive Against Debris Specialty Instructor rating and teach the course to their students, increasing the number of divers that are safely trained to remove and report seafloor debris. Once certified, the hope is that these divers continue to engage on a consistent basis in Dive Against Debris activities. 

3. Adopt the Blue

Launched earlier in 2022, the PADI AWARE Adopt the Blue® program is an evolution of the AWARE Adopt a Dive site initiative. Driving local action for global impact, all  PADI Dive Centers, Resorts and Professionals are encouraged to participate in the Adopt the Blue program by choosing one or more dive sites to monitor and protect. Adopting a dive site is quick and easy, taking less than five minutes using the PADI AWARE app or by applying online.  Together, we’ll accelerate the pathway to Marine Protected Area (MPA) status at sites across the globe that need protection and conservation, with  an aim of having 30 percent of the ocean’s coastal areas protected as MPAs by 2030. . If you haven’t completed your application yet, now is the time to get involved! 

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