What is Project AWARE Dive Against Debris?

The Project AWARE Dive Against Debris app is here!. It allows us to upload data to the Dive Against Debris Map more easily which will result in helping divers clean dive sites quickly and spread further, how crucial it is to stop marine pollution now.

Project AWARE is focusing on some of the largest threats our oceans face, marine debris is one of the biggest! It is a marine-conservation foundation and one of its main projects is, Dive Against Debris. Its purpose is not just to highlight the amount of pollution and Debris in the oceans, but also offers divers a chance to do something about it.

Divers can make any dive a “Dive Against Debris Dive” by picking up any trash they encounter on a dive site and logging it. The Dive Against Debris map is an excellent public database. You can input your data and also see other data collected by fellow scuba divers. Its to be noted that this results in a scary visual illustration of the level of pollution at our dive sites. Unfortunately, as divers, we can only cover a limited area within our waters. But we can still make an difference and help lead and show the rest of the world that garbage in our ocean is unacceptable by presenting what we see and find underwater.

How does the Dive Against Debris app work?

Firstly its a FREE app which can be used on iOS and Android, making it easily accessible to all in diving community. The most important features to record are location (latitude/longitude), date, weather conditions, depths, bottom time, type of ecosystem, number of divers and, of course, what you found. Make sure to put the debris in the correct subcategory as well as a weight estimate to make data as accurate as possible. Photos always help to improve the data if you’ve got access to an underwater camera. These can precisely show the location of the debris or if any animals were harmed by pollution. It’s vita to share these visual references with non-divers to highlight the severity of this issue.

If I do not find any trash during the dive, should I still report it?

Yes. Remember, “No Trash” is still data. This information is still important because it helps researchers determine the direction the debris may be traveling as well as where it’s coming from.

I like to dive in rustic locations. How can I input data without Wi-Fi?

The new app has a “draft” section so you can upload any information from a dive. Once in an area with internet, you can upload the data. Once you’ve uploaded the data, it will go through a “pending” phase. You’ll find it in the “approved” section once it is inputted into the Dive Against Debris Map. .

What is the result of the data collection?

Project AWARE is currently working with other organizations, such as Global Ghost Gear Initiative and Trash Free Seas Alliance, to help stop marine debris at the source. The Dive Against Debris Map allows these different organizations to see the data that divers upload, the locations with the most of debris, and graphs of which type of debris divers collect most frequently. With our help, this data helps these organizations push for regulations to create healthier oceans, and to reduce the amount of trash dumped into our oceans in the first place. .