The Coral Sea borders the Great Barrier Reef and the island archipelagos of Melanesia and contains marine ecosystems of exceptionally high quality and biodiversity.
This region contains the last great reservoir of ultra-diverse coral reef in the world, yet most of it is remote and rarely visited, and is in urgent need of our assistance.
Combining an ethos of science, ecotourism, and sustainability, the Foundation works with traditional owners to develop marine reserves that enhance fisheries and eco-tourism resources, while improving the basic quality of life of people in our partner villages.
We fully support a global transition to renewable energy as a means of mitigating the effects of climate disruption on coral reefs, and we have a strong commitment to delivering our programs with innovative sailing vessels driven by wind power and biofuels.
"Simply put, these coral reefs are too precious to lose."
Jonathan R. Green - Founder
THE GALAPAGOS SHARK DIVE - THE GALAPAGOS WHALE SHARK PROJECT
Whale Sharks are threatened mainly by fishing activity. Traditionally hunted for their liver oil and for waterproofing wooden boats they are now widely sold for their characteristic white meat (referred to as “tofu shark” in Taiwan). Rapid reductions in numbers caught, have been seen in several areas, including India and Taiwan, indicating that local populations are particularly susceptible to overfishing. Slow growth, late sexual maturation and potentially low reproductive rates mean that localised populations are unlikely to recover after collapse due to fishing.
Questions such as where they breed, where they give birth and where the young live for the first 3-5 years of life, are some of the questions the Galapagos Whale Shark Project has been trying to answer. The answers to these questions and more are necessary if we are to protect the species against the threats that face the future of all marine life.
Ian Gowrie-Smith - Atoll Custodian
The Conflict Islands Conservation Initiative (CICI) is based on the island of Panasesa in the Conflict Islands & is faced with many issues due to the remoteness of these islands, located in the Louisiades Archipelago, in Papua New Guinea. With small communities scattered over the numerous islands, with little or no income for most islanders, the marine world is their only source of substance & income. The illegal trade of shark finning is active in this area, as is the harvesting of turtles & their eggs.
Education & eradication of the shark fin trade is an ongoing battle for the initiative, but they have successfully set up a turtle hatchery & relocate turtle eggs to allow them to survive. With regular patrols on the shores at night, they are working hard to increase the turtle population.
With the help of local Papua New Guineans, they are changing mindsets so that local communities see the benefits of keeping the marine worlds intact, living off them in a sustainable way, which ultimately benefits the communities in the long run.
The Reef Teach presentation is a very entertaining evening, full of amazing facts, beautiful images, and the opportunity to handle a wide range of corals and other marine specimens – including some of the dangerous creatures you wouldn’t want to touch if they were alive! It will amaze, inspire, and captivate you, and have you laughing about the funny facts and weird and wonderful ways in which the reef works!
“With learning comes appreciation“
Pelagic Dive Travel partners with Reef Teach by providing Free Presentations to all divers visiting Cairns. After the presentation, they will also receive an underwater Fish ID Slate for their diving! Through education and awareness, we can help protect and support the Great Barrier Reef!
Hawksbill sea turtles are one of the most beautiful and important species in the ocean. They help coral reefs thrive by eating sponges and are a thrill for divers and snorkelers to see in the wild. But they have been hunted to the edge of extinction for their colourful shell. Their shells (also known as "tortoiseshell") are made into jewellery and other products that are frequently sold to travellers in markets across Latin America & the Caribbean and other tropical regions.
Join us to help end the demand for turtle shell products. Together we’ll bring back these sea turtles.
Pelagic Dive Travel partners with Too Rare to Wear by supplying fact sheet to all divers heading into areas with Hawksbill Turtles. These fact sheets are about how to identify illegal Turtleshell products and create awareness about the decline of the Hawksbill population. We need to make sure Turtles remain for generations!
In 2016 marine biologist & conservation ecologist team Sacha Guggenheimer and Tom Hiney were just learning about the negative impacts of chemical sunscreen pollution on our oceans and in particular coral reefs.
At the time, Tom & Sacha were working on the Ningaloo Reef in Western Australia. Feeling the squeeze between the need to wear sunscreen whilst swimming with whale sharks, and with the passion to protect the World Heritage Listed Ningaloo Reef, the pair began to develop a natural high-quality sun protection. A formula that possessed the highest sun protection factor possible for their outdoor lifestyle, SPF50, but was not going to compromise their skin with harsh chemicals or have adverse effects on marine life and corals. This is how SunButter™ was born.
Get ample protection from the sun's UV rays. Our reef-safe vegan sunscreen is water-resistant and perfect for Australia's climate. Keep your skin healthy while doing the same for our oceans.
· reef-safe vegan sunscreen & is water-resistant
· perfect for Australia's climate
· perfect for scuba divers
· the perfect balance of soothing zinc oxide & moisture enriching oils
· all the ingredients are sustainably sourced & palm oil free (non-organic)
· designed to work perfectly for both face & body as an all in one product
· recyclable tin
Pelagic Dive Travel partners with SunButter Suncare in providing a tin of Sunbutter SPF50 Water Resistant Reef Safe Sunscreen to every diver booked with us. We need to protect our reefs & if we can cut down on the chemicals that are used in these areas, we give the reefs a better chance.
Our connected platform is powered by your actions, bringing together people, projects and organisations from across the Reef and around the world.
United we will inspire collaboration and collective impact on a global scale. From ditching single-use plastics to citizen science and world-leading research – everyone has a part to play.
Commit to a brighter future for the reef. Join us.
Pelagic Dive Travel partners with Citizens of the Great Barrier Reef by inviting Divers to join and see what they can do about changing their impact. Education and awareness of everyday activities are the keys to reducing impacts and start to create more awareness for the circular economy.