Urgent Appeal: The Reef-World Foundation Requires Your Support

The Reef-World Foundation's Green Fins initiative is a globally recognised program that promotes sustainable diving and snorkeling practices to protect and conserve coral reefs and marine environments. By setting strict environmental guidelines and a code of conduct for dive operators, Green Fins aims to minimise the negative impacts of marine tourism, such as coral damage, waste pollution, and unsustainable wildlife interactions.

For those who love to dive, there are several ways to contribute to the Green Fins initiative:

Choose and dive with Green Fins certified operators who follow environmentally friendly diving protocols to reduce reef damage and waste.
Adhere to the Green Fins Code of Conduct during dives, which includes avoiding contact with coral, not collecting marine life, and practicing good buoyancy control to protect fragile habitats.
Participate in additional conservation efforts such as reef clean-ups, coral monitoring, and citizen science projects often organised by Green Fins members, helping further reef protection and restoration.
Support awareness initiatives by engaging in educational briefings provided by Green Fins operators, which raise understanding on marine ecosystem vulnerabilities and promote responsible diver behavior.

The initiative has demonstrated measurable success, including significant reductions in reef threats, elimination of anchoring damage, and improvements in waste management and chemical discharge control, directly attributable to industry commitment and diver participation under Green Fins guidelines. By supporting Green Fins, divers actively help safeguard coral reefs while enjoying sustainable underwater experiences.

Green Fins is the only internationally recognised environmental standard for the diving and snorkelling industry. The Reef-World Foundation, an international coordinator of the UN Environment Programme’s Green Fins initiative, provides a suite of tools and materials to help educate dive operators, dive professionals, and divers about how to be more environmentally friendly when diving.

Green Fins encourages and empowers members of the diving industry to reduce pressures on coral reefs. The initiative helps make corals healthier and more resilient to the effects of climate change. For more information about Reef-World's Green Fins initiative, visit www.reef-world.org or www.greenfins.net.

Dive and snorkel operators interested in signing up to Green Fins can find the membership application form at https://www.greenfins.net/how-to-join. The Reef-World Foundation is also calling for input from divers as part of its latest review of materials related to the Green Fins initiative. To participate, fill out the short survey available at https://form.jotform.com/Reef_World/materials.

Follow Reef-World and Green Fins on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to stay updated on the latest news and developments in marine conservation. Together, we can make sustainable diving the social norm through education and partnerships with the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and 11 National Governments. Let's work towards a future where our oceans are healthier and more resilient.

To contribute to the protection and conservation of coral reefs, consider signing up as a Green Fins certified operator and adhere to environmentally friendly diving protocols.
By choosing to dive with Green Fins certified operators, you can help minimize reef damage, waste pollution, and unsustainable wildlife interactions.
In addition to following a code of conduct during dives, participants can actively contribute to conservation efforts such as reef clean-ups, coral monitoring, and citizen science projects.
Engaging in educational briefings provided by Green Fins operators can help raise awareness and understanding about marine ecosystems and promote responsible diver behavior.
As part of its latest review of materials related to the Green Fins initiative, The Reef-World Foundation is calling for input from divers, which can be given through a short survey available online.
Supporting Green Fins not only helps safeguard coral reefs, but also encourages and empowers the diving industry to reduce pressures on marine environments, contributing to a healthier and more resilient ocean future.