Sharks Need Your Help!

This November, help to end unsustainable trade for dozens of shark species. CITES is a United Nations agreement that is binding in 184 countries, and limits the international trade of species at risk, like sharks.

ADD YOUR VOICE

We Are Ocean Change

Our vision is to achieve balance between humanity and the ocean.

We will do this by rallying millions of Ocean Torchbearers - a global force for good that can be mobilized to restore ocean health and support our coastal communities around the world.

It will take all of us working together, united by our passion and armed with a clear plan of action to turn the dial towards a healthy future for people and planet.

Take Action Now

Current Ocean Torchbearer Campaigns

Goal: Protect Vulnerable Shark & Ray Species

Grow CITES Protected List

"CITES only comes round once every three years, so we must grab this opportunity before these sharks disappear from our favorite spots forever." - Ian Campbell, PADI AWARE Foundation, Associate Director of Policy and Campaigns

Goal: Make Sustainable Diving the Industry Norm

Green Fins Sustainable Diving

Learn more about our partnership with The Reef World Foundation and help make sustainable diving practices the industry standard.

Goal: Restore Blue Carbon Ecosystems

Blue Carbon

Through our partnership with The Ocean Foundation, we help to restore seagrass and mangroves, ecosystems that support millions of marine species.

Goal: Achieve Marine Debris Reduction

Every Dive a Survey Dive

Join the largest citizen science movement on the planet. Grab your mesh bag, scuba gear and data card to make #EveryDiveaSurveyDive.

Create Change. Become an Ocean Torchbearer.

Join Us

Over the next 10-years, the PADI Blueprint for Ocean Action will work to:

Rid the oceans of marine debris

Reduce marine debris by 50% in targeted countries through partnerships and PADI AWARE's Grant Program.

Reduce and offset the carbon footprint of the diving industry

Achieve carbon neutrality across the PADI organization and fund seagrass habitats to offset carbon.

Protect endangered and vulnerable marine species

Protect 20 vulnerable shark and ray species by deploying in-country conservation campaigns.

Accelerate coral reef recovery and restoration

Restore 5% of coral reef habitats through citizen science programs and project funding.

Multiply the number of Marine Protected Areas

Protect 30% of the ocean through partner collaboration and expansion of Adopt a Dive Site.

PADI AWARE Foundation

Local Action. Global Impact.

A global charity driving local action for global ocean conservation. We build and deploy conservation programs for Torchbearers to take action with fins on and fins off. We work to link those actions to policy change – advancing our conservation strategy for a return to a clean, healthy ocean.

Thanks to our donors, AWARE has protected over two dozen shark and ray species, driven over 222,000 conservation actions, removed 2 million pieces of marine debris and advanced groundbreaking citizen science.

How We're Protecting the Ocean

Citizen Science and Marine Research

We are the world's largest underwater citizen science movement. Together as a global community, we collect critical data to advance marine research on the key threats to the ocean.

Policy

We have influence at the policy table, advancing campaigns that support the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development adopted by the United Nations in 2015.

Community Grants

The PADI AWARE Foundation’s™ Mission Hub Community Grant Program provides direct financial resources to community-based projects that address key ocean threats.

Take Action Now

Donate to AWARE Foundation

All of our work is made possible by generous donors like you.

Donate

PADI Pillars of Change

PADI empowers divers to become ocean stewards by supporting critical social and environmental efforts.

Learn More