If you’ve ever taken part in a Dive Against Debris® cleanup, adopted a dive site with Adopt the Blue™, or supported ocean protection efforts in your community, you know how powerful small actions can be, and that together they can make a big, global impact.
That’s why the PADI AWARE Foundation® is proud to introduce the new Conservation Action Portal (CAP) — a powerful platform designed to make it easier to take action, track your impact, and join a growing movement of Ocean Torchbearers committed to protecting our blue planet.
What is CAP?
The Conservation Action Portal is a one-stop shop for conservation action, making it easier than ever for PADI Divers, Professionals, and Dive Centers to contribute meaningful data and engage in conservation directly through the dives you’re already doing. For over a decade, the community platform “My Ocean” has helped divers actively participate in fighting the marine debris crisis. My Ocean was launched with the citizen science program Dive Against Debris. But as the community and the AWARE programs grew, so did the need for a more streamlined, impactful tool. That’s why PADI AWARE undertook the development of CAP.
How To Participate on the Conservation Action Portal
The Conservation Action Portal launches with some powerful, action-ready programs that are already making waves in ocean protection. Whether you’re a casual weekend diver or a seasoned pro, these programs are designed to meet you where you are and turn your dives into data that drives real change.
Dive Against Debris: Log debris and help scientists identify pollution hotspots.
Every time you remove and report marine debris from your dive in the Conservation Action Portal, you’re contributing to the largest underwater cleanup and data set in the world. Your data helps pinpoint pollution hotspots, inform local waste management policies, and even support international environmental treaties.
Adopt the Blue: Help protect dive sites by officially adopting and monitoring them.
Adopt the Blue gives dive professionals the opportunity to officially support a local dive site and help prioritize it for protection. These adopted sites are part of a growing global inventory of areas that may become future marine protected areas (MPAs) or receive targeted conservation efforts.
Global Plastic Treaty: Tackle plastic pollution with your signature.
Through the Conservation Action Portal, you can join the call for a strong UN Global Plastics Treaty that tackles plastic pollution at the source. PADI AWARE Foundation is the only organization representing divers and the dive industry at the international policy table, and your participation will help turn the tide on plastics. Sign the petition, stay informed on negotiations, and add your voice to a growing global movement pushing for systemic change.
Global Shark & Ray Census: An exciting expansion of citizen science in action. (Launching later this year.)
This exciting new citizen science program will allow divers and snorkelers everywhere to log sightings of sharks and rays. The data collected will help scientists track populations, understand migration patterns, and identify critical habitats, just by logging what you see on your dive. Stay tuned!
Donate: Support ocean conservation and protection by donating to the AWARE Foundation.
Your donation to PADI AWARE Foundation directly funds programs like Dive Against Debris, Adopt the Blue, community grants, and global advocacy efforts like the Global Plastics Treaty. Every contribution helps scale impact, support science, and protect the ocean we all love.
Take part in these fins-on and fins-off activities. Join today and get your Torchbearer Badge.
Top Features of the Conservation Action Portal
CAP is easy to use and offers a streamlined way to help save the ocean.
1. One Login for Everything
Access the portal with your existing PADI account — no new credentials needed. You can log in at action.padiaware.org/home or through the PADI AWARE app.
2. Web and Mobile Access (Even Offline!)
Submit conservation data on the go, whether you’re at your laptop or on a remote dive site. The app even lets you log offline and syncs when you reconnect.
3. Interactive Global Map
Explore the live Conservation Map at padiaware.org to see where actions are happening locally and globally. Your impact becomes part of a visible, growing wave of change.
4. Project and Campaign Updates
The Conservation Action Portal’s homepage keeps you informed with campaigns, petitions, and initiatives. Whether it’s a global shark petition or a dive site adoption effort near you, you’ll know exactly how to engage. You can also collect badges for participation to celebrate your commitment to ocean conservation.
5. Impact Numbers and Data Sharing
Your submissions don’t just sit in a database. They’re shared with scientists, policymakers, and partners, like James Cook University, to drive marine research and policy advocacy. View your own impact numbers as well as the global figures on the app and realize how a global Torchbearer Community can work together on the same goals.
Ready To Take Action?
Here’s how to get started on CAP:
- Log in to the portal and get your Torchbearer Badge.
- Download the app. PADI AWARE is available on the Apple App Store and on Google Play
- Explore the Conservation Map.
- Take part in a survey or initiative.
Whether you’ve submitted data once or a hundred times, every entry has helped shape this launch. Thanks to the dedication of over 183,000 divers around the world, we’ve already removed nearly 2.5 million pieces of debris items, helped over 37,000 entangled animals, and adopted nearly 3,000 dive sites. Now, with the Conservation Action Portal, you’ll be able to see that impact unfold — and scale it even further.
