Cleaner Seabeds for Sri Lanka
Cleaner Seabeds for Sri Lanka is an expedition launched by The Pearl Protectors to remove underwater marine litter from sensitive marine ecosystems and reefs located around Sri Lanka. The expedition utilizes certified volunteer divers towards identifying and removing abandoned, lost or discarded (ALD) fishing gear and non-biodegradable marine litter. Cleaner Seabeds for Sri Lanka is a four-year national volunteer initiative which involves various stakeholders and patrons combining effort towards protecting and conserving the underwater marine ecosystem in Sri Lanka.
Participating volunteer divers will receive special briefing and training on guidelines and best practices on collecting underwater marine litter. The litter collection guidelines will follow international standards while maintaining all safety precautions.
Collected marine litter and stranded fishing gear will be weighed, audited, segregated and handed over to both recycling waste collectors and incineration waste collectors.
Stage 01: Training
30 volunteers from The Pearl Protectors received PADI certification based on the commitment towards supporting the expedition. All divers received concessionary rates towards being certified in PADI Open Water while receiving special training in marine litter removal.
Stage 02: Surveys and Pilot Dives
The 1st phase of the expedition started in January 2022 where pilot survey dives and cleanup dives were conducted in Colombo and Batticaloa. 5 separate reefs were cleaned with the support of 37 volunteer divers. 160kg of marine litter including ALD fishing gear was removed.
Stage 03: Underwater Cleanups
The 2nd phase of the expedition will consist of ten underwater cleanup efforts with the addition of acquiring cleaning equipment and creating awareness on the damage. The 2nd phase hopes to secure an additional ten selected Protector of the Pearl volunteers to receive PADI Open Water certification. The duration of the 2nd phase will be 1 year based on monsoonal patterns of Sri Lanka.
Types of Pollutants
There are many kinds of pollutants that can effect the underwater ecosystem. The Pearl Protectors “Cleaner Seabeds” initiative is focused on the collection and safe disposal of the following pollutants found at the dive locations.
Plastic Waste
ALD Fishing Gear (Types of nets)
Textiles
Metal
Rubber
Glass
Our Impact
Would you like to see the impact and progress we have made through image and video footage of our dives? Visit our gallery to learn more.
Project Impact Goals
There is a set of goals that the Cleaner Seabeds for Sri Lanka project will strive to achieve within the duration of the project to ensure consistency and create a meaningful impact.
Dive Locations
During the first phase the dives were conducted in Colombo and Trincomalee. In the upcoming phases further dives would be scheduled in Colombo, Negombo, Batticaloa and Trincomalee following an inspection dive to identify the level of marine pollution in the area and the effect on the marine eco system.
For details on the marine litter cleared and collected click below
Note: Statistics will appear in a pop-up window.
Colombo
- Kollupitiya
- Angulana
Negombo
2 of 4Trincomalee
3 of 4Batticaloa
4 of 4Would you like to get involved or sponsor a dive?
The current economic crisis has adversely impacted the number of cleanups that can be carried out and we are actively looking for like minded individuals who care about our marine life and the marine eco system.
If you would like to support us or sponsor a dive you can contact us here.
You can also drop a donation at this link.
