2021 PADI AWARE Impact Report

ANNUAL REPORT 2021

LETTER FROM THE DIRECTOR

This year was one of great transition and strategic growth for the PADI AWARE Foundation. The organization added new evergreen programs, strengthened our mission, advanced ground-breaking marine research and drove successful advocacy campaigns.

On Earth Day, we announced our official name change from Project AWARE to PADI AWARE, fundamentally shifting and expanding our conservation strategy. Two key elements emerged from that announcement:

1. Our new mission, driving local action for global ocean conservation, and;

2. The PADI Blueprint for Ocean Action, a clear plan to advance specific ocean conservation targets by 2030.

Two strategies remained at the heart of our work: policy and citizen science. Since 1992, PADI AWARE Foundation has advanced protections for over 46 shark and ray species. In July, we successfully added one more to our list - Mako Sharks – after a multi-year campaign effort. Both further deepened our commitment to scaling our program reach and bolstering community efforts at the ground level.

In September, we released our second scientific paper from our flagship citizen science program, Dive Against Debris. This study was the first of its kind to use on-the-ground data collected in real-time to analyze the global problem of marine debris, and highlights the critical role that divers play in ocean conservation. This program will serve as the template

for future citizen science programs in the coming years spanning across all conservation issues in the Blueprint for Ocean Action.

In November, we launched the PADI AWARE Community Grant Program, a cornerstone initiative to provide direct financial resources to community-led efforts that address climate change, marine debris, marine habitat loss and vulnerable species protection. For 20212022 grantees, the Foundation has dedicated 24% of its public funds directly to the program. In our first grant cycle, we funded over 17 grantees across conservation issues and geographies.

We are so proud of our successes this year, further building upon our rich history in ocean conservation for almost thirty years. Beyond these key benchmarks, the Foundation continued to educate, engage and advocate for ocean conservation at both the local and international level. We know that none of this is possible without our donors, supporters, PADI dive centers and divers, PADI partner and sponsors. We thank you for another great year fighting for our beautiful blue planet.

OUR BLUEPRINT FOR OCEAN ACTION

RID THE OCEANS OF MARINE DEBRIS

MULTIPLY MARINE PROTECTED AREAS (MPAs)

ACCELERATE CORAL REEF RECOVERY AND RESTORATION

Reduce marine debris by 50% in targeted countries through partnerships and the PADI AWARE Community Grant Program.

Protect 30% of the ocean through partner collaboration and Adopt The Blue Program.

PROTECT ENDANGERED AND VULNERABLE MARINE SPECIES

Restore 5% of coral reef habitats through citizen science programs and project funding for key coral reef habitats.

REDUCE AND OFFSET THE DIVE INDUSTRY’S CARBON FOOTPRINT

Reduce the number of sharks and rays threatened with extinction by 25%.

TACKLING MARINE DEBRIS

In 2019, PADI AWARE (as Project AWARE), embarked on a partnership with the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) and the Ocean Conservancy to undertake pivotal analysis to investigate the relationship between debris found on land vs the seafloor, as well as to investigate whether any socio-economic factors influenced the distribution of debris.

In 2020 and 2021, we proudly published two peer-reviewed papers. The research findings illustrated that there was a fundamental mismatch between debris found on land and the coast when compared to the seabed. While there were some commonly found items, the analysis highlighted a difference in composition and distribution, a world-first analysis of real-time data.

The socio-economic analysis was published in August 2021. The research findings compared debris density and socio-economic drivers of the ten most commonly reported items on land and the seafloor. The data was collected from over 75,000 PADI AWARE Dive Against Debris surveys in 114 countries. The overall findings concluded that total debris counts increased with the value of infrastructure, and decreased with national wealth, with highly polluted sites occurring in high-infrastructure, low wealth locations.

The results from the research has identified specific opportunities for policy makers and citizens alike to focus efforts aimed at reducing debris entering the environment. The 2021 publication was included in the Journal Global Environmental Change.

PADI AWARE also entered into new marine debris data sharing agreements with two European and one US based research organisations. These included:

· La Stazione

Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Italy

· Fundacio ENT, Spain

· Elon University, North Carolina

PADI AWARE also renewed its partnership with the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, where debris data collected by supporter organisations was shared with the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), who oversee the management of the sanctuary.

PADI AWARE was also approached by the non-profit The Ocean Cleanup to enter into a monitoring partnership in Malaysia and the Dominican Republic. The Ocean Cleanup has deployed river debris interceptors in the River Klang and Ozama respectively. PADI AWARE has collaborated with dive operators in Malaysia and the Dominican Republic to identify key dive sites across both countries and to develop a 12 month data collection programme in each country to provide a baseline analysis of marine debris in each country, as well as establish a long-term seabed debris monitoring programme to evaluate the effectiveness of the project.

These projects are being monitored with a view to establishing Dive Against Debris as a potential long-term monitoring programme to evaluate marine debris mitigation measures and policies.

LARGEST UNDERWATER CITIZEN SCIENCE DATABASE ON THE PLANET ADVANCING CRITICAL MARINE DEBRIS RESEARCH

1.4 MILLION LBS.

635 THOUSAND KGS.

253,000 DIVERS IN 114 COUNTRIES

26% OF PUBLIC DONATIONS

13,035 ENTANGLED ANIMALS AIDED

DIVING COMMUNITIES TAKE ACTION TO END SHARK OVERFISHING

November 2021 saw our successful shark conservation programme secure what is one of our greatest victories. A three year advocacy campaign in collaboration with our Shark League partners culminated in the banning of catches of endangered mako sharks throughout the entire North Atlantic.

Mako sharks are known as the fastest species of shark, reaching speeds in excess of 30mph, yet in the North Atlantic, their populations are hurtling towards extinction due to excessive overfishing. In 2019, scientists studying mako sharks in the Atlantic found that their populations were so dangerously low that they advised that all catches of makos should end immediately to give them even a slim chance of recovery. In fact, populations were so low that even if mako fishing ended immediately, populations would still require over 50 years to recover.

Commercial fishing in the North Atlantic is overseen by the multi-national management body known as the International Convention for the Conservation of Atlantic Tuna, known as ICCAT. ICCAT is made up of 52 members of different countries and territories, each with a say in how commercially fished species, including sharks, are managed in the Atlantic. Mako sharks are caught primarily by the European Union countries of Spain and Portugal, prized for their meat and fins, with the US recreational fishing sector also catching a significant number for sport.

Due to the economic value of mako sharks to these countries, the European Union and the United States blocked efforts by other countries such as Canada and Senegal to ban catching mako sharks. Many influential ICCAT countries, such as South Africa and Brazil, don’t have a fishing sector that catches makos, so neither supported nor opposed the ban.

This inaction only contributed towards the demise of makos, so in February 2021, PADI AWARE called on dive centres in South Africa and Brazil to mobilise the public to demand action to prevent the imminent extinction of mako sharks in the Atlantic.

With support from the Shark League and the Shark Conservation Fund, PADI dive operators across South Africa and Brazil held dedicated AWARE Shark Conservation Courses for both divers and non-divers to learn about the extinction threats facing sharks across the world, and to highlight the plight of the Atlantic makos. They asked for anyone taking the course to publicly demonstrate their support for mako protection by joining the #MakeTime4Makos social media movement as well as directly contacting their government representatives.

#MAKETIME4MAKOS

The response from the community was immediate and overwhelming. In South Africa, the dive centers collaborated in setting up an email petition directed at the Fisheries Minister, which resulted in hundreds of emails from concerned divers flooding her inbox demanding action to protect makos.

This resulted in the Minister reaching out to the operators outlining South Africa’s intention to support any mako fishing ban at the 2021 ICCAT meeting. Brazilian operators and divers held similar courses and called on the Brazilian government to support a mako ban. This campaign was so successful the ministry dedicated a member of their staff to work directly with PADI AWARE and the Brazilian recreational diving sector to address our shared concerns.

© Evans Baudin

As 2021 progressed, PADI AWARE and our Shark League partners worked across all ICCAT members to gain support for a mako shark fishing ban proposal led by the governments of Canada and Senegal. More and more countries publicly announced their support for mako protection, including the historically silent countries of South Africa and Brazil.

When the proposed ban came up for discussions at the 2021 ICCAT meeting, the level of support for the ban was so great, coupled with the realisation that time for saving makos was running out, the proposal was adopted despite efforts from the European Union to water down the measures.

Thanks to the huge efforts of PADI AWARE supporters across the globe, finally Atlantic mako sharks had some hope for their recovery and the basis, and the decision highlighted how local actions can have global impacts. While this landmark decision was very welcome news, ICCAT limited the ban for an initial period of two years.

As ever, PADI AWARE Foundation will continue to monitor the health of shark populations and drive local action for global ocean conservation.

© Evans Baudin

GRANTS

To further support communities around the world in advancing the PADI® Blueprint for Ocean Action, the PADI AWARE Foundation has launched the new Mission Hub Community Grant Program. This cornerstone initiative is designed to accelerate participation, education and advocacy for ocean protection.

The Foundation’s goal is to provide direct financial resources to PADI Mission Hubs and community-based non-profits in support of projects that address one of the following five program areas:

MARINE1DEBRIS

2

VULNERABLE SPECIES PROTECTION

CORAL3REEFS

CLIMATE4CHANGE

5

MARINE PROTECTED AREAS

“We are thrilled to launch this new fund that directly supports community-based ocean conservation projects. There are so many PADI Dive Centers and NGOs driving meaningful local action, often with little or no funding support,” says Danna Moore, PADI AWARE Foundation’s Global Director. “To help ensure these efforts succeed, PADI AWARE is committing 24% of our donations this year to the Community Grant Program, with a goal of reaching $1million USD in funding by 2024.”

On October 1, 2021, PADI AWARE Foundation opened its first call for proposals. Applications were received from all regions of the world, almost 50 in total.

Of those, 17 proposals were funded, 6 in coral reef restoration/protection, 2 related to marine protected areas, 3 related to marine debris removal, 4 in vulnerable species protection and 2 related to climate change. Funding was disbursed early in 2022 for a one-year term. We are very excited to see the outcomes of these project.

Stories and updates will be available on our website and social media as project milestones are reached.

PARTNERSHIPS

Kraken Rum

Named after the legendary Beast, Kraken Rum’s partnership with PADI AWARE is now in its 2nd year allowing rum connoisseurs and fans of the Kraken Black Spiced Rum brand to not only immerse themselves into the mythical sea story of the Kraken but to connect with the challenges and threats that the ocean and its inhabitants are facing.

Partnerships like these, along with a groundswell of community support, are two critical ingredients necessary to drive change. Kraken Rum has a rich history of supporting marine life, so we’re proud to join forces to raise funds and awareness for the plight of our ocean and its wildlife.

Seiko Watch Corporation is proud to announce a new partnership with PADI® and PADI AWARE FoundationTM’s Marine Debris Program to rid the ocean of marine debris.

Seiko will take on this challenge by donating a portion of the proceeds from the Seiko Prospex Save the Ocean collection to give back to the diver’s AWARE community that is removing and reporting marine debris in aquatic environments.

Seiko

2021 100% AWARE SUPPORTERS

DONOR LIST

$50,000+ PADI

$10,00-$19,999 Paycom

$5,000-$9,999

William Young

David J Fishman

Page Porter

Daniel Roozen

William L Jackson

$1,000-$4,999

Anders Thylin

David Shane

Frances L Clader

Henrik C Nimb

kerry b graham

Lorraine Butzke

Naomi a tucker

Phillip M Whitley

Rachel nakamura

Robert Treverton

Stephen Marshall

Himanshu Behl

Kandace Baker

Archiles Barbatsoulis

Kimberly Randal

Yohei Takimoto

Lau Tsz Sum

Andre Fahrni

Jason Michael Cluen

Lee P Webber

Mirabela Minciunescu

Sonjha Forbes

Miss N Emery

Bas Noij

Teresa Leicher, Jack’s Diving Locker

Matthew Clark

Michelle Burnett

Giuliano Marostica

Carsten Beith

Heather J Tallent

Brian T Anderson

Eric Billips

$500-$999

Adrienne Steer

Aleksandra Mielenczuk

Alison Fox

Andres Venegas

Carol Glover

Cecily F. Grand

Christophe Jammet

Constanze Melz

Drew M Herbolich

Eric S Reisenbigler

Franziska Daeniker

Frederick T MacIntyre

James A Szczurek

Jeffrey B Hill

Kelly M Zanzarella

Keri Woodring

Kyle J Cline

Natalia Skirtenko

NG Wai Yu/Ocean Lovers Co Ltd

Paul H Quick Jr

Paul M. Barsi

Quincy Carroll

Richard C. Evey

Robert Hegenbarth

S Gelmers

Samuel Jakob

Jennifer R Katigbak

Trevor Lindars

Caballito Salao

Gregory Pinto

Megan A Denny

A. Mielenczuk

Kate Read Regan

Maurits Jager

Chris Lobozzo

Yurie A Namiki

A Needham

Berry Van Veldhoven

Christine Naylor

Ho Yam To

Michael van Zyl

Nicole Chavez

Rachel Domingo

David A Stoll

Brett Bovard

Darcy Abrams

Hugh McKee

Tim Drabiniok

Lauren Wiskerson

Susan L Hill

Christopher Riker

Haytham Aboulhassan

Curtis Snaper

Johanna L Pool

Shana Phelan

Stephanie H Young

P Pistelli Munizaga

Werner Trossbach

Scott Flaherty

Brian H McLaughlin

PADI AWARE FOUNDATION - AMERICA

30151 TOMAS RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA CA 92688, USA

PADI AWARE FOUNDATION - EUROPE, MIDDLE EAST, AFRICA

THE PAVILIONS, BRIDGEWATER ROAD, BRISTOL BS13 8AE, UNITED KINGDOM

PADIAWARE FOUNDATION - ASIA PACIFIC

LEVEL 4, 120 OLD PITTWATER ROAD

BROOKVALE, NSW 2100 AUSTRALIA