Short Summary
Dive Against Debris Weekend is a 3-day scuba diving event planned with the intent to remove trash from natural reef sites in the upper Florida Keys.
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We are divers, divemasters and scuba instructors who dive daily in the Florida Keys and have witnessed marine debris (trash) piling up on the sites we dive. These sites are also home to over 260 species of tropical fish, dolphins, sea turtles, sharks and other marine life and is the only natural coral reef in North America. With your support, we are going to clean it up!
By chartering a large commercial diving boat, our objective is to transport a total of 72 divers out to the reefs over a 3-day period for the sole purpose of removing marine trash from the reefs. Once the trash has been collected, sorted and logged, the data will be recorded into the largest online marine debris database in the world through Project Aware. Not only will this cleanup effort have an immediate positive impact on the reef, but the survey information gathered will also help direct policy and advocacy efforts, aimed at addressing marine debris issues, in the future.
Your contribution will provide us with the necessary funds to pay for the charter boat, fuel and other expenses required to conduct these important clean up dives which will, in turn, profoundly benefit the reef on an immediate and long term basis.
What's the Problem?
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Plastic is the ocean's #1 killer!
Every year, millions of pounds of trash finds its way to the oceans. Trash dumped into the ocean not only damages coral reefs, but it poses a serious threat to all kinds of marine life.
Thousands of fish, marine mammals, invertebrates, reptiles, birds and many coral species are killed every year by plastic bags, fishing line, enormous fishing nets, plastic bottles, car batteries, kitchen appliances, industrial waste and other trash in the ocean. Additionally, not only does ocean trash harm wildlife, but it compromises the health of humans, pressures the livelihoods that depend on a healthy ocean, and it threatens tourism and recreation which help the local economies.
Florida is home to the largest natural barrier reef system in the Northern Hemisphere. A once pristine reef system teeming with aquatic life is sadly, today, like most other reef systems around the planet, facing turmoil due to trash as dive professionals in Florida, who have witnessed the degradation of these precious marine ecosystems year after year, we are asking for your help to make this mission possible. Together, we can create a positive impact in Florida's waters by cleaning up marine debris and, in turn, helping to preserve these amazing underwater worlds for future generations and ensuring that people can continue to enjoy recreational scuba diving adventures.
Help us establish our Dive Against Debris campaign and together, we can help prevent trash accumulation from turning these beautiful reefs, ledges and seagrass meadows into rubbish dumps.
Who We Are
We are are group of dive professionals in Florida organizing this marine debris removal event under ProjectAware.org's "Dive Against Debris" program. Each Dive Against Debris event is independently funded and organized by local grassroots efforts. Think Globally, Act Locally!
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Mark Thrower is a scuba instructor and founder of the Dharma Dive Tribe. Mark, having lived and taught in the Florida Keys, donates much of his time to marine debris removal in both organized dives and by going out on his own every week either near coastal areas or accosting his friends for their boats to go out with other incredible people. The Dharma Dive Tribe enjoys the camaraderie of being out, removing marine debris and enjoying the phenomena (Dharma) that is diving. Marine debris removal is Mark's favorite type of diving and allows him to dive in places that most never go, something he calls his “Star Trek Dives” (to boldly go where no one has gone before).
Brian Barnes is a PADI Divemaster and environmental conservationist. Brian has donated hundreds of hours as a volunteer and advisory member at Ric O'Barry's Dolphin Project, part of Earth Island Institute, to end dolphin hunting efforts in Japan. Locally, Brian has participated and helped organize dozens of marine and beach cleanup events that have removed more than a ton of debris from Florida's marine environments.
Tam Barnes is co-founder and volunteer board member of Shark Fin Free Calgary, a non profit, grassroots organization whose campaign mission is to promote and assist in the creation of a municipal bylaw that bans the sale and trade of shark fin products in the city of Calgary, thereby positively contributing to the decrease in the global demand for shark fin products. Tam recently relocated to Florida where she and husband (Brian) are avid divers and work together for environmental causes that advocate for cleaner and healthier oceans.
What We Need & What You Get
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Unfortunately, the trash that is seen dirtying beaches and floating on the ocean’s surface is just the tip of the iceberg. Much more lies unseen beneath the surface and far away on open waters — but that doesn’t make it any less important. Most Dive Against Debris events in Florida take place along shorelines and marine piers, which is crucial, but the only way to access the natural reefs, where massive amounts of marine trash is piling up, is by boat.
In order to mobilize our clean up efforts, we need to charter a commercial diving boat that can accommodate at least 12 individual divers plus crew during our Dive Against Debris event. Your financial contribution will provide us with the necessary funds to acquire this vessel for 3-days.
Without a boat, it will be impossible to get divers to the natural coral reef areas to clean up - we need your help!
