Focusing on Preventing Debris Underwater – One Dive at a Time

The International Diving Center, a partner of Mongoose Adventures, held a program in Trincomalee recently, to help remove debris and fishing nets which litter the Swami Rock Dive Site. The initiative forms part of a series of programs organized under Project Aware’s “Dive Against Debris” campaign.

A team of nine trained divers from the International Diving Center removed up to 250kgs of underwater debris, and also removed the many fishing nets that trap fish and damage coral. Divers participating in the three-hour long cleanup program included staff from the Center, and volunteers from Nature Trails, The Dive Shop and other customers.

“From the smallest piece of plastic to massive fish nets, the amount of waste ending up in the ocean is enormous,” said Lydia Mueller of the International Diving Center Dive Team. “Most Sri Lankans will never see how bad it looks under the surface, and how such debris damages marine life. There are so many fishnets covering the place and on every dive we find fish entangled in lines, which are also hazardous for divers.”

“The waters around Sri Lanka’s coast are rich in diverse species of fish and coral,” said Nishan Silva, Managing Director of Mongoose Adventures. “As such, it is critical to address the issues of debris and clutter to protect marine life.”

While a large number of fish were freed, overall there is a lot to be done.

“We are hoping to organize a monthly cleanup and would like to invite volunteers to give a helping hand,” said Lydia. “The coral reefs around the coast of Trincomalee are well known worldwide, however, they are not protected adequately.”

Scuba divers are uniquely positioned to tackle the global marine debris issue, to take action every day and prevent debris from entering the ocean.

International Diving Center along with divers around the world are demanding a permanent reduction in and prevention of the garbage we create that damages sensitive marine ecosystems - even in some of the most remote corners of the globe.