Theoretical lessons in scuba diving
Gabriela Navarrete
Capacity building in scuba diving for coastal communities
Diving practice
Luis Barrios
Ghost fishing net removed by the diving team in 2023
Javier Oña
The purpose is to improve the local capacity to safely remove ghost fishing gear from the sea. The existence of a permanent diving center in the area is mandatory to provide security during all aquatic activities of the training and cleaning campaigns.
- Social cohesion and environmental awareness in the local community.
- A good relationship between the diving center and the native community.
- Transparent communication with community leaders along the implementation process.
The response of the diving team should be rapid because currents change direction and can release and move the entangled fishing gear again. If the clean-up is delayed, the risk of not finding the gear increases.
Clear roles and efforts distribution among the diving and the on-land support team is essential to obtain the desired results and to communicate achievements back to the community, partners, and local authorities.