Project AWARE Foundation is a global movement of scuba divers working to protect the ocean. The organization was founded in 1989 by the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) and now operates as PADI AWARE Foundation, a registered 501(c)(3) headquartered in Rancho Santa Margarita, California. The Foundation’s work unites the dive community around two of the ocean’s most pressing issues: marine debris and the conservation of sharks and rays.
Project AWARE’s flagship programs include the Dive Against Debris citizen-science initiative — one of the largest underwater debris data sets in the world — and the AWARE Shark & Ray Conservation program, which supports research, policy, and the establishment of shark and ray sanctuaries. The Foundation partners with national agencies, regional fisheries bodies, and other NGOs to translate dive-community engagement into measurable conservation outcomes. Recent priorities include marine protected area enforcement, the prevention of ghost gear, and reductions in single-use plastics in coastal tourism economies.
Project AWARE has been an IUCN member for many years and has actively contributed to international ocean policy, including through motions at recent IUCN World Conservation Congresses. The Foundation’s unique position — bridging a global recreational dive community with the formal conservation policy community — gives it a distinct voice in marine conservation.
