Project AWARE Foundation conserves underwater environments through education, advocacy and action.

Who We Are

Project AWARE Foundation is the dive industry’s leading nonprofit environmental organisation. Our offices located in the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Switzerland and Japan combine efforts to protect aquatic resources in 175 countries of the world. Project AWARE Foundation (International), based in Bristol, England, offers regional assistance in the UK, Eire, Middle East, Africa, Russia, Mediterranean, Eastern Europe and the Nordic Regions.

What We Do

We work in partnership with divers and water enthusiasts to combat challenges facing underwater environments. We involve these volunteers in hands-on environmental activities like International Cleanup Day and The International Whale Shark Project. Project AWARE inspires conservation by incorporating its messages in dive training materials and creating awareness and education campaigns such as Protect the Sharks, Protect the Living Reef and AWARE Kids to name just a few. The Foundation’s Grant Programme provides funding for grass-roots environmental projects that addresses key foundation focus areas and volunteer-supported community activism with direct contributions made by people like you.

Learn More

• Project AWARE Video Montag
• Our History
• Our Accomplishments
• Project AWARE People
• Contact Info
• Press Room
• Support Project AWARE
• Sign up for Our Blue World eCommunication
  

Our History

Because scuba divers have a unique perspective of the underwater world, we see the crisis facing our underwater environments. In 1989, PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) developed the A.W.A.R.E. philosophy – Aquatic World Awareness, Responsibility and Education – to stress divers’ roles in conserving these environments and created a group of effective environmental advocates.

“We want to feel that our children, their children and generations to come will be able to enjoy the underwater world that has given us so much. There are so many significant problems facing mankind, but as divers, this is truly our cause. If divers do not take an active role in preserving the aquatic realm, who will?”
- John J. Cronin, Founder of PADI

Project AWARE began to create environmental specialty courses for divers and nondivers, provide educational information to divers and dive professionals, collaborate with other environmental organisations and organise a worldwide underwater cleanup.

What began as an environmental ethic quickly grew to form the Project AWARE Foundation, a tax-exempt, 501 c (3) nonprofit organisation in the US. Since nonprofit designation in 1992, Project AWARE began to create a presence internationally, forming organisations in the United Kingdom, Australia, Switzerland and Japan. These combined efforts answer the urgent call to conserve underwater environments in 175 countries of the world. Project AWARE Foundation (International), formerly known as Project AWARE (UK), was established as a charity in 1999 specifically to offer regional assistance in the UK, Eire, Middle East, Africa, Russia, Mediterranean, Eastern Europe and the Nordic Regions.

Our Accomplishments

Since inception in 1989, the Project AWARE Foundation has build a unique partnership with individual divers, dive professionals, snorkelers and water enthusiasts who share the same interest and passion for the wellbeing of the aquatic environment. Together, amongst many other achievements that conserve and protect fragile underwater environments, we have accomplished the following:

• Educated more than 15 million divers and water enthusiasts on sustainable interactions and ways to protect the underwater environment
• Coordinated 10 years of underwater cleanup projects in 100 countries and territories of the world
• Coordinated and sponsored hundreds of mooring buoy projects to protect vital aquatic ecosystems
• Created several environmental specialty courses for divers and snorkelers in cooperation with PADI
• Trained dive professionals and resource managers through regional Coral Reef Conservation seminars
• Heightened public awareness for nearly 10 million viewers with Protect the Living Reef, Protect the Sharks and Sustainable Fisheries public service announcements for television and cable networks
• Launched The International Whale Shark Project and Whale Shark Identification Specialty course to gather information and protect threatened whale sharks
• Provided more than 2 million dollars (US) in funding for grass roots environmental projects, species research and protection efforts. Since 1999, Project AWARE Foundation (International) distributed over £403,00 to worthwhile aquatic projects: Marine Camps for disadvantaged children in South Africa, Basking Shark survey and Whale Shark Photo ID project in England, Artificial Reef in Kenya, Marine Classrooms in Sodwana, and Fisheries Working Group in Nigeria to name but a few
• Supported successful legislation including the Magnuson-Stevens Fisheries Management Act, Seabed Protection Act, Coral Reef Conservation Act, the Executive Order on Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and global ban on Shark Finning Bans
• Monitored and consulted on underwater maritime heritage issues and underwater environment issues
• Participated as an active member of the US Coral Reef Task Force, Marine Protected Areas Federal Advisory Committee
• Introduced coral health monitoring programs for divers in Asia Pacific
• Raised children’s environmental awareness by getting them involved in activities aimed at protecting their local environment and turning more than 800 children into active
• Developed a Water Watch Week programme focused on water pollution and litter issues for schools. The curriculum was developed to complement the UK National Curriculum and can be adapted to any school or youth environment.
• Assisted and supported ECO Dive Operators who operate in an environmentally responsible manner through the Go ECO campaign and Project AWARE Foundation (International) Official Partner Programme
• Developed educational campaigns and translated support materials to spread the Project AWARE philosophy

Project AWARE People

Project AWARE Foundation is small in staff and relies on its volunteers locally, regionally and internationally to carry forth our mission. Individual divers, snorkelers, dive club leaders, dive professionals and water enthusiasts from all walks of life are involved in the daily efforts to conserve aquatic resources.

Project AWARE Foundation (International) Staff

Suzanne Pleydell, Director
Domino Albert, Conservation & Education Officer
Cher Platt, Project Co-ordinator

Project AWARE Foundation (International) Board of Directors

Mark Caney
Douglas Nash
Suzanne Pleydell
Martin Rose

Honorary Board of Governors
David Bellamy
Monty Halls


Organizational Documents

Contact Info:

Project AWARE Foundation (International)
Unit 7, St. Philips Central
Albert Road, St. Philips
Bristol BS2 0PD
Great Britain
Phone: +44 (0)117 300 7313
Fax: +44 (0)117 300 7270
Email: info@projectaware.org.uk