DIVING NEWS
Shelling out and saving for charities
Picture: Adam Hanlon.
If Christmas is the time of giving, expect to see several charity-related diving news stories in the lead-up to the festive holidays. Two that are time-sensitive relate to Christmas shopping for dive-trips and action cameras.
Discounted diving liveaboard and resort holidays in the Caribbean, Galapagos, Indonesia, Fiji, the Philippines, Micronesia, Costa Rica and other destinations are up for grabs in the 2019 Sea Save Foundation (SSF) annual online auction, which is now live.
Dive-operators donate the packages, with all proceeds going towards ocean-conservation efforts, says the California-based foundation, which works to stop unsustainable shark-finning and curb plastic pollution. It claims that its lobbying was crucial to a recent CITES decision to extend protection of sharks, rays and other marine species.
“Oceans do not recognise political boundaries, so we must work at the international level to most effectively protect them,” says SSF director Georgienne Bradley. “This online fund-raiser gives divers the opportunity to experience their dream vacation at a discounted price, and know they are helping to protect oceans.”
The SSF says that its auction offering has grown steadily over the past 11 years thanks to its dive-industry supporters. The event finishes on 19 December and can be accessed here .
Meanwhile Danish dive-camera manufacturer Paralenz says that it collected almost US $26,000 for marine-conservation charity the Reef-World Foundation during its recent “Blue Friday” campaign and, buoyed by its success, has now extended the donation campaign until Christmas.
Reef-World coordinates the sustainable-diving initiative Green Fins in partnership with the UN Environment Programme. For every camera sold at discounted prices during its Blue Friday campaign – an ocean-positive spin on Black Friday – Paralenz undertook to donate $50 to Green Fins.
14 December 2019
“We’re absolutely blown away by the staggering amount raised,” said Reef-World’s Samantha Craven.
“The vital funds raised will make a huge impact in our work to protect coral reefs around the world… we look forward to hearing how much more is raised as people snap up this amazing camera in their Christmas shopping.”
The Green Fins education programme, which started in 2004, is claimed to have reduced by an average of 37% direct tourism threats to coral reefs across 56 international diving hotspots.
