To better recognise the achievements of those PADI Dive Centres and Resorts who have made significant contributions to the growth and development of diving, PADI Asia Pacific have announced the finalists and winners of this year’s PADI Asia Pacific Member Awards program which recognises the efforts of dive operators during 2009.

The PADI Member Awards program was based on nine separate Asia Pacific regions; a system that ensured PADI Members compete with other PADI Members within their own geographical region for one of five Awards.

All PADI Dive Centres and Resorts within each of the nine regions were considered for nomination by a specially convened selection panel, who selected up to three finalists for each of the awards. A panel of PADI judges then considered all of the finalists within each region and we are proud and delighted to announce that Scubafish/ Narima Diving are the winners of this year’s Project AWARE Conservation Award for our region (Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam).

The Project AWARE Conservation Award “recognises outstanding ecological achievements, with a focus on fostering environmental and cultural understanding, appreciation and conservation”.

The dive team are delighted at this achievement and obviously intend to continue these efforts whilst offering a sustainable and environmentally responsible diving experience. Scubafish are now 2 time winners of this particular award.

Project AWARE Foundation honors dive operators around the world who display commitment and excellence in their efforts to protect underwater environments within business operations and their community.

Project AWARE Foundation Chairman, Dr. Drew Richardson recognizes the importance of the scuba diving community taking its part on protection of global ecosystems.

“The Environment Achievement Award is about rewarding vision, excellence and pursuit of conservation. More importantly, this award ensures the enjoyment of underwater environments for future generations,”

states Richardson.

“Project Aware recognises that Scubafish and Narima Diving operate in an environmentally responsible manner and demonstrate an outstanding commitment to conserving underwater environments through education, advocacy and action. Project Aware is pleased to award them the Project Aware Environmental Achievement Award for 2007.”

Background:
Scubafish is a small, eco-friendly, PADI 5 Star Instructor Development Dive Resort located near the National Marine Park in Kantiang Bay in the South of Ko Lanta. Narima Diving is a PADI Dive Centre set within the Narima Resort, a beautifully designed, eco-chic resort located within natural rain forest that has been growing on the island for thousands of years. All bungalows have been constructed from natural, ecological materials that blend well into the surroundings and construction was planned around the existing trees. It’s hard to spot the resort from the sea as it seems to disappear into the natural rainforest backdrop. Sustainable tourism methods are utilised to provide low-impact, simple and environmentally conscious accommodation.

Scubafish and Narima Diving offer 3 key areas for Diver Education:

• PADI 5 Star, Gold Palm IDC Training Facility
• Liquid Lense – Underwater Digital Imaging Academy
• Aqualogy – Marine Education Centre

Our reputation stems from high quality personal service, dedication to the marine environment and our love of the aquatic world. We offer a unique diving experience to divers visiting Ko Lanta, Thailand.

In response to dramatic changes in our local reef health (specifically Hin Muang), we set out to make environmental awareness and conservation our main goal. In 2007, we introduced AQUALOGY – Marine Education Centre. Founded as a joint project between Scubafish and Aqualogy’s Marine Scientists, Aqualogy provides a variety of courses and marine education to divers on holiday, and is also a base for Coral Reef Research and Reef Monitoring Projects. We work with ReefCheck to supply research and data to contribute to their Global Reef Monitoring Project.

We focus on the importance of conserving underwater environments, and how we can, through education and action, make a difference to the world we live in. Aqualogy is involved in a number of marine conservation, research and local community projects. We believe that we are in a unique position to be able to actively put something back into the environment in which we live. Environmental education and awareness materials help us to educate, divers, non-divers and locals in the importance of protecting our oceans and reefs.

Current Environmental Awareness Recognition:
• Project AWARE Environmental Achievement Award
• Project AWARE – Go ECO Operator
• Project AWARE – CoralWatch Operator
• Green Fins Member
• ReefCheck Training Facility
• EU Responsible Tourism Award – Scubafish and Narima Diving were 2 of only 9 Dive Centres in Thailand recognised as meeting European Standards for Sustainable Tourism Management in Thailand.

Environmentally Aware Diver Education offered:

• PADI – AWARE Coral Reef Conservation Specialty Course
• PADI – Whale Shark Awareness Diver Specialty Course
• ReefCheck – Discover ReefCheck Course
• ReefCheck – EcoDiver Course
• Aqualogy – Tropical Reef Diver Course
• Aqualogy – Discover Marine Habitats
• Aqualogy – Discover Fish Ecology
• Aqualogy – Discover Zoology
• Aqualogy – Discover Oceanography
• Aqualogy Reef Plus Course – Sharks & Rays (Cartilaginous Fish)
• Aqualogy Reef Plus Course – Venomous Species
• Aqualogy Reef Plus Course – Coral Life
• Aqualogy Reef Plus Course – Tropical Reef Fish (Bony Fish)

Community Project Involvement and Initiatives:

Project CleanUp – We’re actively involved in regular Beach and Reef Clean Up Projects. We regularly schedule community beach clean-ups and get the local kids, residents and tourists involved. We participate in Project AWARE Beach Clean-Ups and encourage all our divers to pick up any litter they see on the beaches or on the reefs.

Sustainable Tourism Standards – Scubafish and Narima Diving were 2 of only 9 Dive Centres in Thailand recognised as meeting European Standards for Sustainable Tourism Management in Thailand.

Project Swim – We are initiating a project in conjunction with our Thai Divemaster and a European swimming Instructor to teach kids from the local community to swim. We take this opportunity to impart a reef-conscious outlook and emphasize the need to protect the marine environment. Many local families rely heavily on fishing, so it is easy to present the huge positive benefit in preserving the environment they depend on.

Public Awareness Education:

• Explanations displayed in Thai about
o responsible diving practices,
o responsible waste management practices,
o responsible boat mooring practices
o reef-conscious diving and buoyancy practices.
• Presentations given to locals about benefits of recycling, reducing plastic and polystyrene overuses
• Support of local recycling initiatives

Child Participation:

We get all our Bubblemakers involved in CoralWatch reef-health monitoring. They love taking the slates diving and gaining a sense of satisfaction in contributing towards conserving our coral reefs.

Boat & Dive Briefings and Information:

• Active encouragement all our staff and divers to take an active interest in protecting the marine life they observe whilst diving.
• Information on display from Project Aware Go ECO and Greenfins that details, in English and Thai:
o responsible diving practices,
o responsible waste management practices,
o responsible boat mooring practices
o reef-conscious diving and buoyancy practices.
• Environmentally-informative briefings on the boat and before each dive which include information about:
o waste management on the boat
o marine life interaction – demonstrating to interact in a passive, low-impact way
o fish ID information
o information about threats to various costal and underwater environments and habitats so that everyone who takes part in one of our trips becomes interested and aware of the issues surrounding the need for conservation and preservation.
• Marine Scientists onboard to give presentations on marine eco-systems, marine habitats, threats and conservation action required.
• We require a buoyancy check dive be completed by ever diver wishing to participate in reef monitoring or marine biology dives or courses

Advocacy:

Daily Dive Site Data Collection Project – Our Daily Data Collection project involves collecting daily information about water temperature, current and fish data. We hope to learn and observe seasonal patterns in different species, local to our area.

Reef Surveys – We participate in the ReefCheck EcoAction programme and contribute to their global survey of Reef Health. We also offer Discover ReefCheck and ReefCheck – EcoDiver courses, for an introduction to (and certification in) reef monitoring and surveying techniques.

Permanent Transact Line Project – To enhance our commitment to ReefCheck we are building a permanent Transact Line to enable ReefCheck dives to be conducted more easily and to provide more consistent data for their worldwide reef-surveying project.

Research Projects:

Project Whale Shark – We are working to create a Lanta Whale Shark Sightings Database, so that we can track if the same individuals return each year and if they follow a path between dive sites in our area. You can also take the PADI Whale Shark Awareness Course. This course gives an introduction to the world’s largest fish and will familiarise you with the proper techniques for diving with Whale Sharks so as to cause minimal impact on the sharks’ habitat and behaviour.

Artificial Reef Project – we start this project by running tests to see if this area can support an artificial reef. We hope that by creating new sheltered areas for reefs to grow will promote the continued sustainability of the diversity of marine life we see in our area. We plan to submerge various test materials at varying locations and depths to see which materials perform the best. Over a period of time, we can monitor potential coral growth at each location to determine the best artificial reef scenario. Video and photo logs will be kept alongside data sheets and monitoring data.

Action

Good Mooring Practices – To reduce impact on the environment, increase boat performance and ultimately save money on operation costs, our boat has been fitted with the very first set of highly efficient, low emission’s Suzuki V6 DF300′s in Thailand. The Shallow-V hull design combined with the big, efficient, high output Suzuki engines, mean that as well as smoother, faster journeys, we now have 65% lower emissions than the EPA 2006 Standards.
We set up moorings for our boats in a bay in the south of Lanta. This puts us closer to the dive sites, therefore making our journey times considerably shorter, which means less fuel used.

Recycling & Waste Management – On board we provide bags to help us recycle refuse, and display posters to advocate reducing impact on the environment.

Reef & Costal Conservation Projects – House Reef Mapping Project – Ko Lanta is a fairly unusual island in this area, in that it does not have a coral reef around the island. Here in Kantiang Bay, in the South of Ko Lanta, we are one of the only beaches in Ko Lanta to have any coral reef growth. We have conducted some exploratory dives on these reefs and have observed some extremely interesting macro life. There are colonies of nudibranches that we have never seen on other dive sites in the area, as well as many species of juvenile fish, small rays and anemones. There are even some small Gorgonian Sea Fans and Table Corals.
One of our projects for 2007-08 is to effectively map this area and identify as many of the species that inhabit it, as we can.

Community Conservation Projects – Underwater Reef Clean-Ups are a regular part of our dive season. We are working on a project to rejuvenate our recently discovered House Reef in Kantiang Bay. Currently, there is a promising amount of reef growth, however many fishing lines and debris are disturbing the reef from flourishing as it should.

Our Lanta Community Project is an ongoing commitment to give something back to the community we are part of. We educate community members about the importance of conserving underwater environments. Also, learning to swim is not something that every child automatically learns, despite living on a small island. It is our aim to provide swimming lessons to local schools and communities .

Volunteer Projects

Fishing is a huge part of many family’s lives on Koh Lanta. The key to success in protecting the environment, is to create a new generation of ambassadors who themselves see the value of caring about the environment. In a community where almost everyone learns about fishing, an education in eco-awareness and marine life conservation, can only be a positive combination. In order for plentiful fish stocks to be available for future generations, it is essential for us to look after reefs, where the juvenile fish can shelter, right now.

Through local meetings with community leaders, and by educating the local children who will be our future generation of underwater conservationists, we hope to make a difference that can be seen by the local community. By contributing in this way, we hope that the future of both our cultural heritage and the natural beauty of our oceans, can survive.

Since being founded in 2004, Greenfins have been dedicated to protecting the reef’s of Thailand through raising awareness and teaching Reef Watch methods for ongoing monitoring. In support of the International Year of the Reef (IYOR) 2008 we are pushing for a direct involvement of all communities within Thailand to adopt responsibility and commit to looking after the reefs and reduce our daily impacts on the marine environment.

Greenfins Code of Conduct:

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

As a Green Fins Member We Are Expected To:

Adapted from The Coral Reef Alliance (CORAL) “Environmentally Friendly Standards for Dive Operations”

SCUBAFISH

Project AWARE Foundation, the dive industry’s leading non-profit environmental organisation, launched the Go ECO campaign into the Asia Pacific region in 2005. The main objective of Go ECO is for dive centres to minimise their impact on the aquatic ecosystem whilst contributing to environmental, economic and cultural conservation. Dive centres are required to meet best practice environmental guidelines and commit to the Project AWARE Go ECO philosophy.

“SCUBAFISH is delighted to be awarded with the Project AWARE Go ECO Operator status for 2007. As a Go ECO Operator we are committed to providing dive experiences that enhance visitor awareness, appreciation and understanding of the local aquatic environment,” said Saffron Kiddy – Dive Centre Manager.

Joanne Marston, Manager, of Project AWARE Asia Pacific added, “We are pleased to recognise SCUBAFISH as a Go ECO Operator. We look forward to working with them to implement environmental best practices and educate tourists about how they can travel responsibly.”

Go ECO Operators also demonstrate a commitment to conservation and pledge to follow the Go ECO Operator guidelines.

For further information about SCUBAFISH visit www.scuba-fish.com or email info@scuba-fish.com

For further information about the Go ECO campaign visit the EcoTourism section of the Project AWARE website www.projectaware.org or email info@projectaware.org.au

About SCUBAFISH

Scubafish is a small, eco-friendly, PADI 5 Star, Gold Palm, IDC Centre located on Kantiang Beach in the South of Ko Lanta. We offer expert guidance and instruction with an emphasis on relaxed and personal service both above & below the water. We are Mares & Cressi approved Retail & Service Centres and our equipment is of the highest standard. Departing directly from the beach we are ideally located to offer shorter journey times to some of the best dive sites in Thailand.

SCUBAFISH is also home to AQUALOGY Marine Education Centre and LIQUID LENSE Underwater Digital Imaging Academy.

About Project AWARE:

SCUBAFISH Goes ECO with the Project AWARE Go ECO Operator Campaign

Project AWARE is the dive industry’s leading non-profit environmental organisation dedicated to conserving underwater environments through education, advocacy and action. Project AWARE Foundation offices located in Australia, United States, Japan, the United Kingdom and Switzerland combine efforts to conserve aquatic resources in 175 countries of the world.

www.projectaware.org

info@projectaware.org.au

Scubafish

The Natural Guide Eco-Rating Criteria:

1. ‘Traveller-Friendly’: The hotel or activity provides an enjoyable experience for travellers who appreciate nature and local cultures.

2. ‘Nature-Friendly’: The operation is designed and managed in a way that reduces negative environmental impact and enhances environmental conservation.

3. ‘Community-Friendly’: The operation contributes to the welfare of local people and enhances local culture.

Eco-Tips for the Responsible Traveller:

Fly Less, Take your Time
Air travel is responsible for 3 to 4% of the greenhouse gas emissions causing global warming. Flying to the other end of the world for a week of holidays is not sustainable. Instead, travel less often, and spend more time to discover each place. When flying, participate in a carbon offset program to help reducing global warming.

Learn about the Ecology
The more you know about the local environment, the less likely we are to step on an endangered flower or buy handicrafts made of the skin of a vanishing species. And the more you’ll appreciate the hidden life behind the landscape.

Think before Buying
Unless you’re sure it comes from a well-managed source, avoid buying anything made of wild animal parts (snake skin, tortoise shell…), anything taken from the sea (aquarium fish, shells, corals, etc.) and any furniture made of timber coming from the rainforest. Look for goods with reputable Eco-Labels such as the FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) or the MAC (Marine Aquarium Council).

Respect the Wildlife
When in any natural environment, especially a protected area, we can easily disturb the wildlife. Keep silent, never remove any plant species, never feed any wild animal, and never get out of recommended trekking routes. Use local guides who know the local ecology. Divers need to be extra careful not to touch any part of the fragile coral reefs.

Save Power and Water
There are many ways to save power and water when travelling. Do we really need air conditioning? Why not appreciate natural ventilation? What about trying a local bus or a bike rather than a four-wheel drive? And of course, turning taps and switches off when not needed is always a good idea – as is not changing towels and sheets everyday.

Leave only Footprints
Waste is accumulating fast in tourism destinations, especially in developing countries with poor waste management. When going to a natural area, bring a plastic bag to bring your waste back – and collect any other waste found along our way. Avoiding plastic bags and plastic bottles also means generating less waste.

Choose Responsible Operators
When choosing a tour operator, a hotel, a trekking guide or a dive club, ask about their responsible tourism policies, and the steps they take to protect the environment. Responsible operators are also more likely to be well managed, take care about safety, and respect their commitments towards travellers.

Support Local Conservation Initiatives
Never hesitate to support local conservation NGOs through donations or volunteer work. Participating in wildlife surveys or reef check programs can also be a more challenging, rewarding way to travel in natural areas.

• ReefCheck – Discover ReefCheck Course
• ReefCheck – EcoDiver Course

Founded in 1996 by marine ecologist Dr. Gregor Hodgson, the Reef Check Foundation is an international non-profit organization dedicated to conservation of two ecosystems: tropical coral reefs and California rocky reefs. With headquarters in Los Angeles and volunteer teams in more than 80 countries, Reef Check works to create partnerships among community volunteers, government agencies, businesses, universities and other non-profit organisations.

Reef Check goals are to: educate the public about the value of reef ecosystems and the current crisis affecting marine life; to create a global network of volunteer teams trained in Reef Check’s scientific methods who regularly monitor and report on reef health; to facilitate collaboration that produces ecologically sound and economically sustainable solutions; and to stimulate local community action to protect remaining pristine reefs and rehabilitate damaged reefs worldwide.

In 1997, Reef Check conducted the first-ever global survey of coral reef health that provided scientific confirmation that our coral reefs were in crisis due to over-fishing, illegal fishing, and pollution. The results, published in a scientific journal in 1999, shocked many marine biologists who had not realized the extent of human impacts on reefs.

In August 2002, Reef Check released its first five-year report, The Global Coral Reef Crisis – Trends and Solutions, at the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Based on data collected by thousands of Reef Check volunteer divers in over 80 countries and territories, the report was the first scientific documentation of the dramatic worldwide decline in coral reef health over a five year period.

The report concluded that there was virtually no reef in the world that remained untouched by human impacts, such as over fishing, pollution and climate change. Yet the success stories discussed in the report show that, with proper monitoring, management and protection, coral reefs can recover. It is up to us.

Since then, Reef Check’s fast-growing network has expanded throughout all tropical seas, and has played a major role in efforts to preserve and sustain reef ecosystems.

Reef Check has received international environmental awards for its work, and is the United Nations’ official community-based reef monitoring program.

Sign Reefcheck’s Declaration of Reef Rights today!

The purpose of this pledge is to highlight the high value of coral reefs and to encourage all people and governments to support coral reef conservation. Reefcheck would like to present the Declaration along with a list of one million names to all coral reef country governments in January 2009.

CoralWatch makes monitoring coral reefs easy. The CoralWatch chart uses a series of colors representing different stages of bleaching and recovery.

Just match the color of the coral with a corresponding color on the chart and record the color code along with coral type on the data sheet. Data collected from monitoring activities is then entered online and analyzed by scientists to answer questions on coral bleaching and recovery patterns as well as the severity and duration of bleaching events.

Why Monitor Coral Reefs?
Very little is known about the trends of coral bleaching on a global scale. There are many questions that need to be answered regarding patterns of bleaching and recovery as well as the severity and duration of bleaching events. CoralWatch volunteers will contribute data to help answer many of these questions.

Dive and snorkel volunteers make it possible to measure small natural fluctuations in the coloration of healthy corals to immediately identify changes outside of the normal range. With your support it’s also possible to monitor coral health throughout the year, not just during bleaching events, and help determine factors that influence coral health.

A strong consensus is reached in the scientific community – climate change is happening. And it’s linked to human activity. In the last century earth’s surface temperatures have risen by an estimated 1.4 degrees Fahrenheit (0.8 degrees Celsius). And 2005 was the hottest year on record.

Particularly concerning to Project AWARE Foundation, marine resource managers, scientists, dedicated dive professionals and divers is the effect climate change has on coral reefs – a process called coral bleaching.

New research indicates more than half the world’s coral reefs could die in less than 25 years – with human activities and climate change taking blame. Up to 30 percent of the world’s reefs have already died; another 30 percent are severely damaged according to researchers

What is Coral Bleaching?

Coral Bleaching is a process where corals lose symbiotic algae (zooxanthellae), living inside their tissue which supply coral with energy. This loss leaves coral transparent and reveals the white coral skeleton underneath. This potentially fatal process yields the ‘bleached’ appearance. Increases in ocean temperatures are the main reason for coral bleaching episodes.

Although corals can slowly recover from brief bleaching episodes, coral death is common when high temperatures are sustained for long periods. And once bleached, coral is even more susceptible to additional pressures including pollution, overfishing and disease that often lead to coral mortality. Although the effects of bleaching range from moderate to severe, experts agree that bleaching episodes have become much more severe in the past few decades. And they are likely to reoccur in the future with increased frequency.

What is climate change?

Earth is surrounded by a blanket of gases that keep the surface warm and helps make life possible. This blanket is currently getting thicker largely due to greenhouse gas release caused by burning fossil fuels and deforestation. As the blanket gets thicker more heat is retained underneath, which alters the climate. Because the ocean comprises nearly 70 percent of the earth’s surface, it is not only crucial to influencing the global climate, but also harbors some of the most diverse and important ecosystems. In addition, research currently indicates that climate change will increasingly challenge coastal and marine ecosystems in the next century. If current trends continue temperatures may increase 2.5 – 10.4 degrees Fahrenheit (1.4 – 5.8 degrees Celsius) by 2100.

What is Scubafish doing to contribute to the CoralWatch Project?

• We have signed up with Project AWARE to regularly monitor local coral reefs.
• We use the Project AWARE CoralWatch Kit developed specifically for divers including: CoralWatch charts, monitoring guidelines and information, educational materials for divers and a CD Rom containing helpful resources to establish monitoring activities.
• We have chosen Ko Haa Lagoon and Hin Muang as our chosen your reef sites to regularly monitor these reefs.
• After each CoralWatch dive, we enter CoralWatch Data Online. Our data is then analyzed and made available online to compare the condition of local reefs over time and with different regions of the world.

What can you do?

Some changes are inevitable – even if gas emission stops today, the gases already released will have an effect in the future. This means that it is essential to do everything to avoid further changes. The good news is that because everyday activities also contribute to climate change there are many ways to tackle the issue on an individual level and as a diver. Here are 10 easy things you can do:

• Switch off your lights and electric appliances when not needed
• Choose energy saving appliances
• Use a line to air dry clothing instead of a dryer
• Use lids when cooking (water heats quicker with the lid on)
• Use energy saving light bulbs and recycle
• Walk or cycle when traveling short distances
• Use rechargeable batteries
• Share your concern with your local politicians
• Become educated and inform friends and family on climate change issues
• Contribute to awareness’s and help with data collection by participating in coral monitoring activities

For more information on the effects of climate change on marine ecosystems, you can go to the UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre’s Biodiversity and Climate Change Programme website.