| Issues such as global warming and environmental | | | | to prevent its unwanted return to the ocean. |
| degradation have stirred many sectors of society | | | | 3. Surveying Fish and Reef Species. Besides the |
| towards social responsibility and the stewardship of | | | | removal of trash from the waters, REEF also |
| our natural resources. Organizations such as REEF | | | | maintains a growing database of fish and other |
| (Reef Environmental Education Foundation) and NARC | | | | marine species with their corresponding abundance |
| (Neptune's Army of Rubbish Cleaners) are grass | | | | scores. This is accomplished through the Roving Diver |
| roots environmental agencies that organize research | | | | Volunteer Program that beckons certified scuba |
| and educational programs, including clean up activities | | | | divers inclined to multi-task, as they go about with |
| that aim to entice divers, marine researchers and | | | | their individual, recreational diving pursuits in the |
| even non-divers to become stewards of aquatic | | | | waters of Canada and the US, with the survey of |
| ecosystems and marine life per se. If you are a | | | | marine species and recording of its manifestation |
| diving enthusiast and would like to participate in the | | | | based on the inputs required by a proforma survey |
| global effort of preserving marine habitats, here are a | | | | sheet. Said activity not only seeks to provide a |
| few noteworthy activities that you can engage into. | | | | dynamic, primary data for marine research and |
| | | | product development but also fosters a profound |
| 1. It commences from land. The activities of man on | | | | understanding and appreciation of marine life for |
| land will eventually affect the state of marine life in | | | | volunteers. |
| one way or another. So why not join the local scuba | | | | Think you have got what it takes to become a |
| diving community in the conduct of coastal clean-up | | | | steward of marine ecosystems? Non-divers can |
| activities that are organized every year. This can help | | | | contribute to this pursuit by participating in coastal |
| reduce the volume of hazardous wastes infiltrating | | | | clean-up activities. Nonetheless, certified scuba divers |
| marine habitats. | | | | can do so much more to this end being in close |
| 2. Taking whatever your hands can carry. Reef | | | | contact with coral reefs and other reef formations. |
| clean-up involves the removal of non-biodegradable | | | | This can be conducted without upsetting the fun part |
| materials without disturbing the fragile balance of | | | | of any recreational scuba dive with the simple |
| marine flora and fauna thriving in these biotic | | | | retrieval of any garbage you find on the reef. |
| underwater habitats. Garbage collected from reefs | | | | Moreover, becoming a REEF surveyor puts more |
| can be further segregated, recycled or reprocessed | | | | meaning to the definition of marine life stewardship. |