Deadline: Ongoing Opportunity
In an on-going effort to support marine conservation across the scuba diving community, the Sea of Change Foundation has launched a new fund to help support divers’ immediate response to coral reef damage from:
- Anchor Drops
- Vessel Groundings
- Oil Spills
- Local, anthropogenic and acute impacts to coral reefs.
The “Reef Rescue and Rapid Response” Grants seek to empower the dive community to act as first-responders to localized, anthropogenic and acute impacts to coral reefs.
The fund helps support the immediate response to coral reef damage from anchor drops, vessel groundings, entanglement, oil spills and acute pollution that impact coral reefs. The grants will support divers and their communities in responding quickly to a reef-damaging incident by helping cover immediate costs such as boat fuel, staff time, video cameras, lift bags, transect tapes and handheld GPS units. Anticipated responses may include damage assessment and documentation for future litigation and restoration, and/or collection of coral fragments for regrowth, and/or up-righting of larger corals that may recover in situ.
What does the fund cover?
- The fund provides for mini-grants that range from $500 to a maximum of $5000 for divers, and their communities to respond quickly to reef damaging incidents by helping to cover immediate costs. For example:
- boat fuel
- staff time
- video cameras
- lift bags
- transect tapes
- handheld GPS units
How can divers help?
- Responses may include:
- damage assessments and documentation for future litigation and restoration
- collection and initial care of coral fragments for regrowth
- up-righting of larger corals that may recover in situ.
For more information, visit Sea of Change Foundation.
