Green Fins - Mission Statement

Our Mission

To protect and conserve coral reefs by establishing and implementing environmentally friendly guidelines to promote a sustainable diving tourism industry.


Why Green Fins

Monitoring of the socio-economic impacts/benefits of coral reefs has been noted as a common and urgent need in the SE Asian region. As a contribution to, and in support of, relevant work undertaken in the region, the US counterpart contributions will be used to initiate a new activity called "Green Fins" by which a network of dive operators will be asked to offer tours according to a set of environmentally- friendly guidelines.

The dive operators will assist in surveying and keeping track of information on their customers with regard to their knowledge of and behaviour in the sea. In addition, the dive operators may help with monitoring coral reefs when they take customers on dive trips.


The "Green Fins" initiative will strengthen the involvement and role of dive operators as an important stakeholder and partner in the protection, conservation

Go Eco

and sustainable use of coral reefs, and will raise the environmental awareness for coral reefs. In support of the "Green Fins" initiative, capacity building activities and training workshops will be organised as needed.


Friendly Diving: BEGIN WITH YOURSELF

  • Please follow these simple guidelines and be a Green Fins diver.
  • Support coral conservation by choosing a resort and dive operators with care, and be a 'Green Consumer' with your money.
  • Choose dive operations that are environmentally-friendly, such as displaying the Green Fins certificate.
  • Choose environmentally-conscious hotels and dive resorts.
  • Strive to improve your diving skills.
  • Practice skills away from coral reef areas.
  • Learn about coral reefs and other animals that live in the reefs.
  • Adopt environmentally-friendly practices.

Friendly Diving: IN THE WATER

  • DO NOT touch, stand or rest on corals and other marine life even when wearing gloves or booties. Some are very delicate animals; you may cause them harm, and some can hurt you.
  • Take nothing live or dead out of the water.
  • DO NOT chase, harass, ride on, feed or handle marine life.
  • Enter and exit the water away from reefs.
  • Make sure your equipment is secure at all times.
  • Maintain neutral buoyancy; practice good finning to avoid accidental contact with the reef and stirring up sediments.

Friendly Diving: TAKING PICTURES

  • Provide dive experiences that enhance visitor awareness, appreciation and understanding of the local aquatic environment.
  • Photography and video equipment are cumbersome and affect a diver's mobility and buoyancy in the water. It is easy to touch and damage marine life when focusing on the objects.
  • Develop advanced skills to prevent contact with marine life.

Friendly Diving: ON LAND

  • Support conservation projects through:
  • Paying user fees for recognized programs and areas that support coral conservation, if applicable.
  • Filling in wildlife sightings forms when available.
  • Volunteering your skills in beach cleanups and other marine environmental activities.
  • DO NOT purchase souvenirs made from corals and other marine life - this is usually illegal and environmentally un-friendly.
  • Spread the word - tell your dive buddies these simple, but important conservation practices.