Sharks & Rays: Protect the Reef 🦈

Every dive is a chance to make a difference.

Hello!! My name is Mar, a Dive Instructor and Staff Trainer lucky enough to work on the Great Barrier Reef, where I get to experience its incredible marine life every day.

Sharks and rays are an essential part of healthy ocean ecosystems, yet over one-third of shark and ray species are threatened with extinction.

That’s why I’m raising $1,000 for the PADI AWARE Foundation to support conservation, research and action to help protect these incredible animals and the ocean they call home.

Why Sharks & Rays Need Us

For many shark and ray species, we still don't have enough information about where populations are thriving — or where they are declining.

The PADI AWARE Global Shark & Ray Census is helping change that by turning observations from divers around the world into valuable conservation data.

This information can help:

🦈 Identify vulnerable species and priority areas
🌊 Track shark and ray populations over time
🔬 Support scientific research
🛡️ Strengthen protection for important habitats
🌍 Inform conservation decisions around the world

Divers are already in the water. Now our dives can help create the data needed to protect what we see.

Making a Difference Together

Since 1992, PADI AWARE supporters have helped:

🦈 Protect 104 species of sharks and rays

🌊 Fund more than 200 ocean conservation projects

♻️ Remove more than 2.5 million pieces of marine debris from the ocean floor

This is what can happen when the diving community comes together to protect the ocean we love.

Why I’m Fundraising

I spend a lot of my time underwater, and I never take for granted how lucky I am to experience the Great Barrier Reef and its wildlife.

As a Staff Trainer, I also have the opportunity to influence and encourage the next generation of divers and dive professionals. I regularly encourage both students and crew to take part in the PADI AWARE Global Shark & Ray Census and to learn more about sharks and rays through the PADI AWARE Shark & Ray Specialist course.

I believe that conservation starts with awareness. The more divers understand about these animals and the threats they face, the more likely we are to notice them, value them and take action to protect them.

Whether it’s a reef shark passing in the distance, a ray gliding over the reef, or a species we rarely get to see, these encounters are a reminder of how much life exists beneath the surface — and how important it is to protect it.

I want to help make sure that future generations of divers can experience those same encounters.

My goal is $1,000.

If you’ve ever looked into the blue and felt lucky to be there, I’d love for you to be part of this.

Every donation helps. Every dive matters. Together, we can help keep the ocean wild. 💙

Thank you for supporting sharks, rays and the ocean they call home.