AWARE Week 2025: Small Actions, Big Impact
This September, from 13th to 19th, Roatan Divers proudly hosted our Second PADI AWARE Week, a global initiative from PADI dedicated to ocean protection and community action. Dive centers around the world use this week to inspire divers to take meaningful steps toward protecting our oceans.
This year’s theme, “Small actions, big impact,” reminded us that every dive, every cleanup, and every conversation can make a real difference for our blue planet.
Throughout a busy and inspiring week, our captains, instructors, customers, and local partners came together to protect and restore Roatan’s vibrant marine ecosystems. Here’s how we made waves for ocean conservation:
RMP Lionfish Hunter with our instructor Anastasia
We trained divers to safely and responsibly remove invasive lionfish, helping protect our coral reefs and native marine life.
Lionfish pose a serious threat to local ecosystems. They are aggressive predators, reproduce quickly, and have no natural predators in the Caribbean. Their presence disrupts the delicate balance of our reefs, endangering native fish populations and coral health.
We’re proud to have an in-house instructor qualified to teach the Lionfish Hunter Workshop, empowering more divers to join the mission of protecting Roatan’s reefs, one lionfish at a time.
PADI AWARE Presentation with our instructor Dani
At Tierra Firme, we hosted an educational session about the PADI AWARE Specialty, which highlights ocean conservation and diver responsibility. The session aimed to empower our community with the knowledge and tools to take meaningful action both underwater and on land, fostering a stronger connection to and care for our marine environment.
Tierra Firme is a vibrant community hub in Roatan, celebrated for supporting local initiatives, promoting environmental education, and hosting cultural events that bring the community together. By partnering with them, we were able to inspire more people to become active stewards of our ocean.
Mangrove Reforestation with our base leader Nico
In collaboration with BICA (Bay Islands Conservation Association), our team collected mangrove seeds, visited the nursery to plant new seedlings, and cared for the young mangroves already growing.
BICA is a non-profit organization dedicated to protecting the natural resources of the Bay Islands through education, research, and community action. Their mangrove restoration program plays a crucial role in rebuilding coastal habitats, supporting biodiversity, and strengthening the island’s natural defenses against erosion and storms.
Mangroves are vital ecosystems, they protect shorelines, filter water, store carbon, and provide nursery grounds for countless marine species.
RMP Coral Restoration Course with our instructor Peter
Divers rolled up their sleeves and took part in a hands-on RMP Coral Restoration Course, gaining practical experience in restoring degraded reef areas.
The course taught participants how to frag, transplant, and monitor corals, providing essential skills to support reef recovery and resilience. By actively participating, divers not only learned the science behind coral restoration but also contributed directly to strengthening Roatan’s fragile reef ecosystems for future generations.
Dive Against Debris with our instructor Lukas
Our divers collected marine debris from the reef, removing harmful waste and contributing valuable data to PADI AWARE’s global citizen science database. This time, we dove at Spooky Channel, where we gathered 16 items—most of them plastic, the biggest threat to our oceans today.
Since PADI AWARE launched the Dive Against Debris program in 2011, divers worldwide have conducted 28,608 surveys, engaged 194,226 participants, and removed over 2.5 million pieces of debris from the ocean.
Together, we’re proving that every dive counts in the fight for a cleaner, healthier ocean.
Inspiring the Next Generation with our manager Fernanda
We welcomed students from Instituto José Santos Guardiola to our dive shop for an inspiring visit, where we talked about the many opportunities the dive industry can offer for a brighter future. Our goal is to involve the local community and show young people that they, too, can build rewarding careers as boat captains, divemasters, or dive instructors right here in Roatan.
During the visit, we also discussed the importance of protecting our coral reef, not only for the environment but also for the economy, as much of the island’s income comes from tourism and eco-friendly activities like diving.
Their curiosity, enthusiasm, and love for the ocean give us hope for a brighter, bluer future.
West End Beach Clean-Up with the whole RD team
To close out PADI AWARE Week, we organized in partnership with BICA and RMP a massive West End Beach Clean-Up last Friday. From Brisas del Mar to Sundowners, our incredible team of office staff, instructors, captains, Divemaster candidates, and volunteers joined forces and collected an impressive 270 lbs of trash!
Together, we protect what we love: our ocean, our island, and our community.
A huge thank you to everyone who joined us, our team, partners, and the amazing volunteers who believe in protecting what we love most: the ocean.
