Green Fins
Encyclopedia
Green Fins is a project in South East Asia encouraging scuba diving
operators to adhere to a Code of Conduct with an overall aim to reduce negative impacts to the marine environment. The Code of Conduct is a list of 15 rules designed to tackle the most common and detrimental effects SCUBA diving activities have on the habitat in which they operate.
of coral reefs (and other associated marine ecosystems such as sea grass beds and mangroves) and reduce the current unsustainable tourism practices.
and the Philippines
started in 2004, Indonesia
in 2007 and more recently Malaysia in 2008. Each individual country is autonomous, running the project to their own aims and objectives to fulfill the mission statement. This is done under the supervision of the Network Leader with the Assistant Network Leader supporting their role. The position of the Network Leader is usually fulfilled by government staff who work under a relevant department overseeing the protection and control of either marine habitats or tourism.
The project is supported by the UK charity
The Reef-World Foundation based in Anglesey
, north Wales. Their role as Regional Coordinators of the project is to assist countries with training and technical assistance under the direction of UNEP whilst helping to promote and advertise the countries various projects and successes on a global scale.
The Green Fins project is free to join and all dive operators across SE Asia
have the opportunity to be involved in the project. There are no costs involved in joining but members are expected to enter into the spirit that that can always improve their management policies in an effort to adhere to the Code of Conduct and protect the marine environment.
Scuba diving
Scuba diving is a form of underwater diving in which a diver uses a scuba set to breathe underwater....
operators to adhere to a Code of Conduct with an overall aim to reduce negative impacts to the marine environment. The Code of Conduct is a list of 15 rules designed to tackle the most common and detrimental effects SCUBA diving activities have on the habitat in which they operate.
Mission statement
The mission statement of Green Fins is:
"To protect and conserve coral reefs by establishing and implementing environmentally friendly guidelines to promote a sustainable diving tourism industry."
History
Green Fins was established in 2004 as a project by the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) and was implemented by the Secretariat of the Coordinating Body on the Seas of East Asia (COBSEA). The project was initiated and coordinated by COBSEA's secretariat as part of the effort to increase public awareness with an overall aim to better management practices that will contribute to the conservationMarine conservation
Marine conservation, also known as marine resources conservation, is the protection and preservation of ecosystems in oceans and seas. Marine conservation focuses on limiting human-caused damage to marine ecosystems, and on restoring damaged marine ecosystems...
of coral reefs (and other associated marine ecosystems such as sea grass beds and mangroves) and reduce the current unsustainable tourism practices.
Present
Currently there are four active member countries of the Green Fins project. ThailandThailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
and the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
started in 2004, Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
in 2007 and more recently Malaysia in 2008. Each individual country is autonomous, running the project to their own aims and objectives to fulfill the mission statement. This is done under the supervision of the Network Leader with the Assistant Network Leader supporting their role. The position of the Network Leader is usually fulfilled by government staff who work under a relevant department overseeing the protection and control of either marine habitats or tourism.
The project is supported by the UK charity
Charitable organization
A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization . It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization (NPO). It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A...
The Reef-World Foundation based in Anglesey
Anglesey
Anglesey , also known by its Welsh name Ynys Môn , is an island and, as Isle of Anglesey, a county off the north west coast of Wales...
, north Wales. Their role as Regional Coordinators of the project is to assist countries with training and technical assistance under the direction of UNEP whilst helping to promote and advertise the countries various projects and successes on a global scale.
The Green Fins project is free to join and all dive operators across SE Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
have the opportunity to be involved in the project. There are no costs involved in joining but members are expected to enter into the spirit that that can always improve their management policies in an effort to adhere to the Code of Conduct and protect the marine environment.