Raja Ampat Diving Project

Program Description

80% of all the world’s coral species (10 times the number of species found in the entire Caribbean!), 1350 species of fish, 6 of the world’s 7 marine turtle species and 27 varieties of marine mammal can be found in the oceans around Raja Ampat. Larvae that is naturally produced here are swept across the oceans to replenish the reefs which support healthy ecosystems globally and sustainable subsistence fishing for poor villages. This biodiversity is unparalleled anywhere in the world and the reefs are showing remarkable resistance to global marine threats such as climate change, coral bleaching and disease. What happens in Raja Ampat will have a direct impact on the world’s marine ecosystem.

Raja Ampat is a top global priority for marine conservation and the extent of its importance to marine science and ecology is only just being discovered. This stunning tropical paradise located in the East Indonesia/West Papua region of the coral triangle has the highest known concentration and diversity of marine life on earth.

Highlights

This project is created to work at a grass roots level mixing research and survey dives with education and community work, thus making a real difference that each volunteer can see and be part of. Volunteers work to protect the coral reefs of Raja Ampat and the communities that rely upon them.

This project aims to:
• Research the effects of climate change on coastal communities.
• Encourage entrepreneurial attitudes to deter from unsustainable destructive activities like shark finning and dynamite fishing.
• Increase the quality of life and alleviate poverty in local communities.
• Undertake educational programmes on environmental issues, sustainable fishing techniques and the economic benefits of MPA’s.
• Produce detailed coastal habitat maps of the surrounding area for use in advising local government and communities on Marine Protected Area’s (MPA’s).

Qualifications

No special skills or qualifications are required - just a minimum age of 18 and a willingness to get involved with all activities.

Volunteer Types

What`s Included

•Accommodation
•3 meals a day, tea, coffee and filtered water
•Scuba diving training courses for divers
•Buoyancy Control Device (BCD) & Regulator hire for duration of your expedition (unqualified divers only)
•Tanks, air, weights & weight belts (All divers)
•Comprehensive Science Training Programme
•All dives (12 a week in total when possible)
•PADI Emergency First Response course (worth £100)
•Raja Ampat Marine Reserve park fee (worth £70)
•Travel to project site from Sorong (taxi and ferry costs)
•Transfer from Waisai Port to Basecamp
•24hr field support staff