With the onset of the COVIC-19 lockdown, new resources have been made available to dive operators by the Reef-World Foundation, which coordinates the Green Fins Initiative on behalf of the UN’s Environment Program.
The new resources are a combination of new materials and the waiving of fees on some existing materials.
The dive industry, like others, will have to make widespread use of cleaning chemicals and disinfectants. Considering the locations of most dive operators, disposing of these chemicals in a safe and environmentally friendly way can be an issue. Consequently, the Reef World Foundation has released guidelines and information on how to dispose of these chemicals safely. Secondly, the foundation has waived the fee to download its operational handbook.
According to Reef-World Foundation Director Chloe Harvey:
“We appreciate that this is an incredibly tough time for the diving and snorkelling industry. The coronavirus pandemic has many negative consequences for many people but there are silver linings including the potential to ‘redefine’ the tourism industry and use this downtime to put better environmental policies in place; especially since more and more tourists are demanding sustainable practices from their providers.
“As a collaborative network we need to work together to weather this storm as best we can. That’s why Reef-World has developed new resources – and waived the usual fee for its popular Operational Handbook – to help the industry keep an environmental strategy high on their agenda, even during this difficult time. While we appreciate this is a stressful time for the travel industry, putting better environmental measures in place now will help businesses come out stronger – and with a more sustainable business – when travel restrictions are lifted.”
You can find the Green Fins Handbook here, information on dealing with chemical cleaning agents here, and the Green Fins YouTube Channel here.