As divers, many of us have the unfortunate experience of seeing abandoned plastics on the beach or spotting unexpected underwater debris during our dives. This debris not only ruins the view of our sanctuary, but also affects the health of our ocean. Divers, swimmers and beach goers can also be directly harmed by marine debris encounters and their toxins.
The Ugly Truth About Marine Debris
Statistics shows that over 1 million marine animals (including mammals, fish, sharks, turtles, and birds) are killed each year due to plastic debris in the ocean. Currently, it is estimated that there are 100 million tons of plastic in the oceans around the world.
Dive Against Debris & Beach Cleanup Event – Shan’s Shan’s Island Resort
On 14th March, a group of 20 PADI Divers have participated in a Dive Against Debris and beach cleanup event at Alona Beach in Bohol Island, Philippines. This event was organised by the local PADI dive center – Shan’s Shan’s Island Resort.
Thanks to the volunteer’s dedication and after a day of hard work, the group has removed 5kg/11 pounds of underwater debris, including abandoned fishing gear, plastic bags and plastic bottles and much more. They also picked up over 50kg/110 pounds of trash on the beach, including 30kg/66 pounds of broken glasses, 17kg/37 pounds of plastics, 4.5kg/9.9 pounds of paper waste, large amounts of pull tabs (metal) and cigarette butts and etc.
Save the Ocean – PADI Divers in Action
Since their establishment, the team from Shan’s Shan’s Island Resort has hosted marine conservation events on a regular basis. While the majority of the globe are affected by COVID-19, Shan’s Shan’s Island Resort is also going through a challenging time due to travel restrictions. However, the team are staying positive by contributing more time and energy to marine conservation. They believe that each diver shares the same responsibility to maintain the health of their local dive sites, and by working together as a whole diving community, this will eventually benefit our future generations.
“Fighting against marine debris and ocean contamination is highly relevant to human wellbeing. It’s just as important as fighting against the pandemic. By bringing divers together to clean up Alona Beach regularly, we want everyone to realise that there is so much we can do to make a difference.
As divers, we appreciate that we can enjoy the undiscovered beauty of the ocean, so it is our obligation to do something to protect her as a return. The power for each of us might be minimal, but if all of us (divers, snorkelers, swimmers, and ocean lovers) can work together as a whole, we can be a force for good. ”
——— Shan’s Shan’s Island Resort
If you have any questions or if you want to know about the relevant COVID-19 resources, please contact your local PADI Regional Manager or Training Consultant for assistance. If you have similar stories to share with us, please contact [email protected].
