Project
Guardians of the Blue - Underwater cleanups
A UNESCO World Heritage site, the port of Byblos was disfigured by tons of garbage. The fishing community, the tourism industry and the local population were suffering the consequences of the deplorable state of this historic site and its seabed, which is home to numerous species.
In the absence of local marine protection and its absence at national level, citizens in Byblos created Guardians of the Blue.
They organize underwater cleanups with a team of local scuba divers to remove marine debris in the harbor of Byblos and around the coast. The NGO raises divers' awareness of the need to protect the marine environment and its pollution, and encourages them to act to protect the sea in Lebanon.
An NGO in partnership with a diving club
The team partnered with the local diving club, Xiphias Diving. Each cleanup is a collaboration between certified divers, fishermen and non-diving volunteers.
A briefing on safety measures as well as training on environmentally respectful behaviors to adopt during underwater cleanups are conducted with divers before each cleanup. The fishermen and non-diving volunteers collect the retrieved waste from land, which is then weighed and assessed. The waste is then picked up by either the municipality's recycling services or a private recycling factory. In two years, 3.6 tonnes of marine debris have been removed from Byblos harbor and 20 volunteer divers have been trained.
Infographics and a poster on local marine species are displayed at Xiphias Diving club, to educate divers on local marine life and marine science.
Marine protection initiatives are scarce in Lebanon, and ocean literacy rates are low. By training divers and encouraging them to act for the sea, they become sea guardians who can spread awareness among the general population and create a change in the Lebanese society's view of their sea. Guardians of the Blue hopes to expand its initiative in other coastal cities around Lebanon and create partnerships with other diving clubs.
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Project began: 01/06/2021
Leading organisation: Guardians of the Blue
Covered Countries: Lebanon
Themes: Biodiversity, Ocean, Sustainable Tourism
Sub-themes: Participatory science/citizen science, Sustainable lifestyles
Tag: #Women, #Youth
Project needs
- Monitoring and evaluation
- In search of financial partners
- Sponsorship / Philanthropy
- Partnerships development
- Volunteer workforce
- Equipment supply
- Logistical support
Press relations
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