2020 GREEN FINS AWARD WINNERS ANNOUNCED

Reef-World Recognises World’s Most Environmentally Friendly Dive Centres

Rosie Cotton of Tioman Divers, pictured at the 2019 award ceremony (Photo: Reef-World)

DIVE Report

The Reef-World Foundation – international coordinator of the UN Environment Programme’s Green Fins initiative – has announced the winners of its 2020 Green Fins Award.

The annual award recognises the Green Fins member with the lowest environmental impact, with this year’s competition so tight that three dive centres tied for first place: Bubbles Dive Centre and Flora Bay Divers of Pulau Perhentian, Malaysia, and 2019 winners Tioman Dive Centre of Pulau Tioman, also in Malaysia. 

The winning dive operators were chosen from the 600-strong network of Green Fins members through a rigorous assessment of their business practices, which had to be undertaken within the last 18 months for the operator to be eligible for the award. Some of the steps taken to improve sustainable practice in order to receive the award include switching to eco-friendly products and improving waste management practices, training staff in why environmental best practice is important, and upgrading boat engines from two- to four-stroke models.

Alvin Chelliah, Green Fins Assessor Trainer from Reef Check Malaysia, said: ‘Most dive centre managers and owners that I have come across in Malaysia care and want to do what they can to help protect coral reefs. I think Green Fins has been the right tool to guide them towards practical actions they can take. Over the years, we have seen these dive centres put in a lot of effort and work hard at following the guidelines and they have improved steadily as a result. We hope others will follow their example.’

The team at bubbles dive centre, receiving their 2020 award remotely (Photo: Reef-World)

Chloe Harvey, Director at The Reef-World Foundation, said: ‘We’re thrilled to recognise Bubbles Dive Centre, Flora Bay Divers and Tioman Dive Centre as joint winners of the 2020 Green Fins Award. Competition between the Top 10 is always tight but the fact that there are three winners this year, when usually one centre takes the title, shows how much sustainability is being put at the forefront of the agenda across the dive industry. So, we’d like to say a big well done to Bubbles Dive Centre, Flora Bay Divers and Tioman Dive Centre. This win is testament to their hard work and ongoing sustainability efforts and they should be very proud. It’s an incredibly tight race to be named the best of the best!’

The Green Fins Top 10 list is comprised of the world’s most sustainable dive operators, as determined by the Green Fins assessment process. The complete list of the 2020 Top 10 is:

1. Tioman Dive Centre, Flora Bay Divers and Bubbles Dive Centre (all in Malaysia)
2. Ceningan Divers (Indonesia)
3. Scuba Junkie Mabul (Malaysia)
4. Sea Voice Divers (Malaysia)
5. Evolution (Philippines)
6. Orca Nation Rawa (Malaysia)
7. Equation (Philippines)
8. The Barat Perhentian Beach Resort (Malaysia)

For more information on the global Green Fins initiative, visit www.reef-world.org and www.greenfins.net.