AWARE Week 2024
by Fahmi, AMD-B’s 2024 Divemaster Internship
From 14 to 22 September, AquaMarine Diving – Bali (AMD-B) participated in the annual PADI AWARE Week, a global initiative to highlight marine conservation efforts. This year, we conducted an additional clean-up at the Jetty, a dive site known for its macro life, which hadn’t been checked in a while.
Although we regularly conduct clean-ups throughout the year, this extra session at the Jetty aimed to address the growing accumulation of debris, particularly plastic and fish net waste, which has been a persistent issue at the site.
2024 Underwater and Beach Clean-Up Results (so far)
In 2024, we have gathered a total of 42.765 kgs of debris from underwater clean-ups and 40.98 kgs from beach clean-ups. When compared to previous years, we’ve noticed a slight decrease in the amount of debris collected in some areas, such as Blue Lagoon, which have less than a kilogram of waste in recent months.
Plastic made up 80.49% of the trash collected this year, and the presence of discarded fish nets adds to the environmental threat by entangling marine life. Despite the overall decrease in debris, these materials continue to pose a significant challenge that requires ongoing attention.
When comparing this year’s data to 2023, we noticed some key changes. In 2023, a total of 217.325 kgs of debris was collected from underwater clean-ups, compared to 42.765 kgs in 2024. Beach clean-ups also saw a significant reduction, with 146.94 kgs collected in 2023, whereas 40.98 kgs has been collected in 2024 so far.
The notable decrease in debris collected this year could indicate a positive trend in reduced waste accumulation at some sites. During last year’s AWARE Week, we gathered a larger amount, particularly 15.67 kgs from the Jetty. This year, we collected 2.7 kgs during our clean-up at the same site. This sharp difference may suggest a reduction in large debris but highlights the ongoing issue of smaller, often overlooked waste.
