Project AWARE® is a global movement for ocean protection

powered by a community of adventurers. For over 25 years, we’ve been connecting the passion for ocean adventure with the purpose of marine conservation. We currently represent a global community of almost 1 million ocean adventurers, with over 250,000 active supporters across the globe. To date, the AWARE community has supported over 170,000 conservation actions in over 182 countries.

There are two critical areas that we seek to influence: Community and Policy. Once we activate our community for conservation action, we then leverage those actions to influence policies at the local, national and international level. When both community and policy are synergized correctly, we drive towards the highest possibilities for a return to a clean, healthy ocean.

We advance programs that:1. Address the greatest threats facing the ocean.

Those threats must be grounded in sound science2. Fulfill the interests and needs of our community

with both fins on and fins off.3. Links community action to policy change.

Project AWARE’s Clean Ocean Achievements To Date:• Over 50,000 community members in over 114 countries removed

over 1.1 million debris items from the ocean• Created the most comprehensive underwater dataset of marine

debris in the world• Reported and aided over 5,597 entangled or dead marine animals• Developed global citizen science course Dive Against Debris® to

address data gap of marine debris from the seafloor• Trained 1,607 Dive Against Debris Instructors who educated over

2,449 students on the threats of marine debris and how to take action to fight it

The IssuePollution is the one of the overarching stressors currently impacting the health of the ocean with marine debris serving as one of the biggest sources of pollution. Everyday, trash is entering the sea at an alarming rate with more than 250 million tons of plastic estimated to make its way into our ocean by 2025. It is difficult to clean ocean waste, not only because it is found throughout multiple parts of the marine environment, but also because of the possible disruption to marine life.

OneMillionMore

TOP10ocean#ONEMILLIONLESS

trash itemsfound in the

PLASTIC FISHING LINE

145,0631

2

3

4

5

PLASTIC FRAGMENTS

91,222

GLASS BOTTLES

58,725

PLASTIC BOTTLES

58,073

PLASTIC FOOD WRAPPERS

55,425

6

7

8

9

10

ALUMINUM CANS

53,388PLASTIC GROCERY BAGS

46,137

PLASTIC CUTLERY

34,245

METAL FISHINGSINKERS, LURES & HOOKS

35,018

GLASS & CERAMIC FRAGMENTS

26,991

PROJECTAWARE.ORGWhere Conservation Meets AdventureSM

Top 10 Trash Items Found in the OceanMore than one million pieces removed & reported through Dive Against Debris

*Data as of March 2018

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Dive Against Debris Citizen ScienceIt is estimated that over 90% of plastic pollution sinks to the seafloor. This is exactly why Project AWARE launched Dive Against Debris, the only program of its kind removing and reporting underwater marine debris on a global scale, year-round. Dive Against Debris is an innovative program - educating and activating recreational and professional scuba divers into citizen scientists. This program empowers scuba divers to remove marine debris with fins on and then report the data with fins off (types, quantities and locations of items collected). Dive Against Debris volunteers submit the comprehensive survey via an app or online to report the number of items they remove from the seafloor during their dives. Reported data undergoes a detailed quality review from a Project AWARE staffer to ensure the data is accurate and completed.

Why Dive Against Debris Matters:• Creates the most comprehensive underwater dataset

of marine debris in the world. This data is critical to support stakeholders to base policy decisions on sound science.

• Removes debris from the marine environment• Identifies marine debris hot spots • Transparent. Through the Dive Against Debris map,

you can see all surveys across the globe• Enables community engagement and awareness on

the marine debris issue

Dive Against Debris Key Data Stats – First Million Reported: • 5,597 - Entangled or dead animals• 64% - Plastic waste• 307,064 kgs / 676,959lbs - total weight

The Next MillionProject AWARE is committed to remove and report one million more by the end of 2020 – doing in a little over two years what was previously accomplished in seven. In order to do this we need to scale two keystone initiatives: Dive Against Debris and Adopt a Dive Site. These two programs enabled us to reach our first million and we must scale in a more focused and strategic manner to ensure success.

We strongly believe the AWARE community, along with our partners, can help drive the return to a clean ocean.

Please join us and become our “The Next Million Partner” to help fund a cleaner ocean.

Our Partners

Where Conservation Meets AdventureSM