AquaMarine Diving – Bali: Eco Awareness Bali
AMD-B Blue Project – Ocean Ambassador to Preserve Marine Environment
Introducing Blue Project By AquaMarine Diving – Bali
As Indonesia’s first Project AWARE Go ECO Operator and an active member of UNEP’s Green Fins, AMD-B is committed to providing dive experiences that enhance visitor awareness, appreciation and understanding of the local aquatic environment.
Through ‘Blue Project (BP) by AMD-B’, we are able to share our knowledge of environmental awareness through education, training and organised activities.
Blue Project by AMD-B Activities
Beach Clean-up and School Presentations
These eco awareness events aim to nurture school students to protect the ocean by action and knowledge sharing.
Hopefully students can spread the message to their friends, families, communities, and become Ocean Ambassadors to protect the ocean.
Eco Awareness Days like this will enable the students to be heroes, not “just for one day” but hopefully forever!
Turtle Conservation Field Trips
Located in Perancak on Bali’s west coast, sadly, a region known for it’s turtle hunters, the Kurma Asih Sea Turtle Conservation Centre, which literally translates to “Turtle Care”, was established in June 1997.
Out of the six species of turtles found in Indonesia, three of them have laid eggs in Perancak. Hawksbill and Olive Ridley turtles are the most frequent visitors. The Leatherback is the rarest visitor. They have only encountered five of them laying eggs in the past ten years.
These field trips are exciting experiences, not only to learn about sea turtles and conservation, but also to witness the dedication and determination to right a wrong.
Adopt a Dive Site – Dive Against Debris
Signing up for Project AWARE Foundation’s ‘Adopt A Dive Site’ was one item on the ‘Blue Project by AMD-B’ agenda to monitor and protect a dive site AquaMarine frequently visits.
We chose to adopt “The Jetty”, outside Padangbai on Bali’s east coast, meaning AMD-B is responsible for protecting and monitoring the environmental health of “The Jetty”.
Through ‘Blue Project by AMD-B’, we are developing a systematic cleaning programme to make “The Jetty” safer for marine life. The programme includes mapping and monitoring The Jetty. This is a flagship programme of ‘Blue Project by AMD-B’.
Coral Transplantation with NDRF Coral Garden Nursery
Healthy coral reef ecosystems are the basic infrastructure that provides ongoing supplies of fish and other valuable marine organisms for food and economic development as well as protecting the island/coastline from erosion.
By having coral transplantation plus maintenance skills and knowledge from Pariama & Kai from Coral Garden Nursery by Nusa Dua Reef Foundation (NDRF), the ‘Blue Project by AMD-B’ team participate in many ways to protect coral reefs.
Mangrove Field Trips
Indonesia has more mangrove forests than any other country; approximately 25% of the world’s total. That fact alone makes it very important to understand the role of the mangrove ecosystem.
Mangroves provide support to a wide range of neighbouring ecosystems including coral reefs, seagrass beds, mud flats and sand flats.
The ‘Blue Project by AMD-B’ team regularly visit the Mangrove Information Centre located in south east Bali.