Progress report for
Addressing the global marine debris crisis from an underwater perspective - citizen science and community engagement for global solution
Achievement at a glance
Maximising innovative technology capabilities, in August 2017, Project AWARE launched the “Project AWARE – Dive Against Debris” mobile app, available to download for free from Google Play or iTunes enabling citizen scientists around the world to turn their phone into a tool for conservation. Users can now submit their Dive Against Debris data in the field, following their survey. In order to ensure greater reporting accuracy, the dive site’s latitude and longitude can be easily added using information from your mobile device. Additionally, if a user dives at the same site regularly, the app can copy information from a previous submission, ensuring consistency in their data reporting and the global data set. If a user does not have internet connection, the app will store the users’ data as a draft until connection is resumed and the submission can be completed.<br>
<br>In addition to the release of the Dive Against Debris app, Project AWARE continues to work with partners to work towards solutions to prevent marine debris at the source. In the past couple of months, joining fellow members at the Global Ghost Gear Initiative’s annual meeting whereby objectives and work priorities to address abandoned, lost or otherwise discarded fishing gear, for the coming year were defined.
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<br>Looking ahead, Project AWARE looks forward to the Sixth International Marine Debris Conference where we will be sharing the underwater perspective of the marine debris issue gained through Dive Against Debris.