PADI Aware Foundation Information Evening

For more than 30 years, the PADI AWARE Foundation has been turning the passion of divers into meaningful conservation action. Working alongside divers, scientists, dive centres and ocean advocates around the world, AWARE combines citizen science, community action and policy change to tackle some of the biggest challenges facing our oceans. Recent achievements include helping secure international protection for more than 100 species of sharks and rays, while its conservation programs continue to provide valuable data to researchers and policymakers around the world.

And in 2026, there are even more ways for us as divers to get involved.

Join PADI AWARE's Regional Manager Ian and the Dive Centre Manly team as we take a closer look at PADI AWARE’s expanding citizen science programs, including the new Global Shark & Ray Census, which is creating a worldwide, diver-led picture of shark and ray populations, and the AWARE Biodiversity Survey, designed to record marine life observations and build a clearer understanding of the health of our reefs and underwater ecosystems.

We’ll also dive into Dive Against Debris, AWARE’s hugely successful citizen science program. Since launching in 2011, divers have reported more than 2.4 million pieces of marine debris, creating the world’s largest underwater marine debris database and providing data that continues to support research and influence ocean policy.

We’ve already started putting some of these programs into action locally, including using PADI AWARE’s biodiversity survey platform to document the incredible marine life found along Sydney’s coastline.

Whether you’re already passionate about conservation or simply want to know how your next dive can make a difference, come along, grab a seat and discover how every dive can become an opportunity to give something back to the ocean.