“A management approach for environmentally responsible diving and snorkelling practices”

Chloe Hunt – The Reef-World Foundation

www.greenfins.net

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

Green Fins

The Code of Conduct

4. Participate in regular underwater cleanups at dive operator selected sites.

8. Provide adequate garbage facilities on board facility’s vessels and deal with responsibly.

9. Operate under a “minimum discharge” policy for waste.

Who is Green Fins

Green Fins Approach

1. Awareness raising2. Assessments3. Cooperation and support4. Management

Effecting measurable and lasting change within the diving industry and among local communities with regards to reducing damage to the marine environment from diving

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1. Awareness Raising• Dive Centre Staff Training• Educational Materials• Environmental Activities • Outreach to guests / local

communities

Quote from Estefans Taiwilan, a dive guide “I always knew it was bad to throw our rubbish in the seas but

never really understood why. After your presentation I really understand how plastic hurts our marine life and I

will now tell my family, friends and customers.”

50 year old female masseuse saying "ah yes I understand, the rubbish I throw outside my house will

also end up in the sea which is bad for the fish, let me go and collect it now"

2. Assessments

Annual Assessments • Consultative• Collaborative• Providing solutions• Changing behaviours• Measuring change

Case StudyThe Philippines

• Rejuvenation by Reef-World in 2010• National Team - DENR

• CMMO – SCREMP (DAO)• Local Management Teams

Anilao, Mabini 15 dive centre members

Puerto Galera 30 dive centre members

El Nido, Palawan 14 dive centre members60 snorkel operator members

Malapascua, Cebu10 dive centre members

Mactan Island, Cebu 22 dive centre members

Moalboal, Cebu19 dive centre members

Case StudyThe Philippines – Puerto Galera

Fig 1. Mean dive centre assessment scores (weighted) for Puerto Galera from initial evaluations (2011) and reassessments after one year of the Green Fins initiative implementation (2012), n = 26, error bars represent SE.

Analysis of non-weighted data indicated a significant decrease in dive centre assessment scores in Puerto Galera (Wilcoxon; W = -185.00, P = <0.01).

Green Fins members implemented effective environmental policies after contact with the Green Fins systems

160

139

17 out of 26

(65%) reduced

their scores

Case StudyThe Philippines – Puerto Galera

Fig 2. Changes in dive centre (DC) assessment scores in the Puerto Galera region between initial assessments in 2011 and re-assessments in 2012, n = 26.

Green Fins approach may reduce threats to marine ecosystems

Case StudyThe Philippines – Puerto Galera

Fig. 3 Changes in mean COC scores for the Puerto Galera region between initial assessments in 2011 and re-assessments in 2012, n = 26, error bars represent SE. Bars represent the scoring criteria for assignment of intermediate (yellow) and high (red) threats (green = 0).

Anchoring

Dive damageClean-ups

Green Fins promotes compliance with environmental standards

3. Cooperation and Support

• Public private partnership• Beach and reef clean ups• Education programmes and

campaigns to increase public awareness of marine litter issues

• Enhanced governance• Reduced conflict• Effective management

National / Local GFs Management Teams•Collaborative approach•Champions•Sharing of lessons learned•They say what they need…

‒ Recruitment of members‒ Managing Green Fins‒ Assessor Manual and Training ‒ Strengthening of national laws

4. Management

Green Fins ExpansionA Vision for the future…

• Green Fins Japan using Cape Maeda as a pilot site• Identifying environmentally responsible dive and snorkel

centres for tourists• Network being used by Governments, global

scientific and conservation communities• Expansion to do more in local communities –

training for job creation, etc…

Thank you