Underwater Shark Conservation monument

Our seas are under immense pressure: too many fish are being taken out, too much rubbish is being thrown in and too little is being done to protect our precious marine ecosystems and vital marine species.

Aquatic Element Dive Club is committed to supporting conservation societies who are trying to combat the many challenges that are facing our underwater environments. We fully support the many initiatives that have been introduced to protect the underwater world, some of which include:

• Underwater and Beach Cleanups and Marine Debris Prevention
• Coral Reef Conservation, Monitoring and Data Collection
• Shark Education, Reporting and Conservation
• Improved Management Policies and Marine Protection Efforts
• Environmental Training for Divers, non-Divers and Education Programs for Kids

We fully encourage our members to get involved and have actively campaigned and partaken in a number of conservation issues including:

Campaign to Remove Shark Fin Products from Windsor Restaurants

Through a very successful partnership with the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society we actively undertook to educate the public to the serious issues faced by the worldwide shark population from shark fining practices.  We also entered into dialogue with local restaurants and local government to promote and educate about this key Apex predator and its current rate of decline. Through our joint efforts shark fin soup was removed from the menu and this has taken Windsor a step further to being a Shark Product free town.

Egg Case Hunt and Beach Cleanups

Through our club member efforts we have been able to help the Shark Trust with their continuing efforts to monitor Britain’s beaches for shark and ray egg cases. By collecting the cases and identifying the species from which they came we have been able to assist The Shark Trust who are structuring a database to recognise key locations of shark and ray hot spots. By careful monitoring they are able to establish population growth or reduction which adds strength to their campaign for conservation measures to protect this species. Aquatic Element Dive Club members are also carrying out beach cleanup exercises at these locations – something that is vital to try and reduce the harmful impact that litter has on the marine environment.

Aquatic Element Dive Club supports the following conservation societies:

Project Aware

The Shark Trust

Sea Shepherd Conservation Society

Marine Conservation Society

Save our Seas foundation

Shark Angels

Whale and Dolphin Society