How “Adopt the Blue” is Monitoring Coral Bleaching With the Help of Divers Worldwide

In 2022, the PADI AWARE Foundation launched the Adopt the Blue initiative with a vision to create a nimble, active network of underwater sites ready for action across conservation issues and geographies. PADI AWARE Foundation, in partnership with Title Sponsor Blancpain and our generous donors, called upon PADI Dive Centers and Resorts (also called PADI Mission Hubs) around the world to adopt their local sites – and they enthusiastically delivered. In less than two years, a staggering 2,106 sites in 85 countries were ready to tackle conservation challenges.

The need for this initiative became apparent with the threat of a massive coral bleaching event across the Caribbean in the summer of 2023. The Adopt the Blue network was quickly mobilized to aid in this crisis. We found that of the 2,106 sites already adopted, 49% are in coral reef ecosystems with 18% identifying coral bleaching as a conservation issue of concern.

We learned that NOAA Coral Reef Watch needed in-water data and observations of coral bleaching on local reefs and that real-time data was critical to determine how well Coral Reef Watch satellite-based heat stress products are performing. Who better than divers on Adopt the Blue sites to fill this need? We reached out to Adopt the Blue sites in predetermined regions of the Caribbean identified by NOAA. Once again, dive centers answered the call.

By February 2024, divers from eight participating centers across Grenada, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Barbados, Costa Rica, and Bonaire* had conducted over 51 surveys. This provided NOAA with real-time, underwater data on coral bleaching to inform their system and response strategy. Thanks to our coral donors from 2023, PADI AWARE Foundation was also able to provide funding to all participants to support costs – a total of USD $8,500 in grants directly to local communities.

Dr. Derek P. Manzello, Ph.D., Coordinator, NOAA Coral Reef Watch, remarked, “The collaboration of PADI AWARE Foundation’s Adopt the Blue and NOAA’s Coral Reef Watch engages the diving community as collaborators in the scientific data collection that will lead to the identification and monitoring of bleaching-resilient corals and coral reefs.”

Dive shops around the globe have shown remarkable commitment to this cause. We extend our heartfelt thanks to AB-Dive, Barbados Blue, Coral Point Diving, Dive Bequia, Eco Dive, Oceans Unlimited, Rich Coast Diving, and Roger’s Scuba Shack for answering the call and joining the fight to save the ocean.

Edmund Settle, a PADI Master Instructor with Coral Point Diving, shared his experience: “Participating in the NOAA Coral Bleaching Project through the PADI Aware Foundation’s Adopt the Blue initiative was an outstanding learning opportunity for all involved. While we, as divers, often observe the health of coral reefs, this project allowed us to document firsthand how warming seas impact coral bleaching in our local waters, utilizing underwater photography and sharing compiled data. Engaging divers as citizen scientists allows for invaluable real-time data into coral reef health, deepening our understanding and guiding efforts to preserve and protect these essential ecosystems.”

As we continue our efforts beyond the 4th global coral bleaching event announced in April 2024, “Adopt the Blue” aims to track underwater changes and establish a pre-warning system for various coral issues. This initiative goes beyond monitoring; it includes proactive measures like removing corallivores to aid short-term coral recovery worldwide.

On the heels of the 4th global coral bleaching event announcement in April 2024, we will continue to work alongside our Adopt the Blue community to provide a vital delivery service to the international coral community beyond just the Caribbean. We seek to track underwater changes over time at as many sites as possible and establish a pre-warning system for various coral issues (e.g. invasive species, disease, bleaching, etc). This initiative goes beyond monitoring; it includes proactive measures like removing corallivores to aid short-term coral recovery worldwide.**

Your support on World Reef Day – and every day – can make a significant difference. To learn more about PADI AWARE’s commitment to accelerating coral reef recovery and restoration and how you can help, visit www.padiaware.org.

Together, we can protect these vital ecosystems and ensure a healthy future for our oceans. Join us in making a difference with Adopt the Blue.

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*PADI AWARE Foundation shares all citizen science data with the public from any of our programs. Please contact [email protected] if you would like us to send you the data collected for this project.   

**PADI AWARE Foundation is a member of the International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI) and works collaboratively with the international community as well as local governments to establish best practices for coral protection.