Workers dive in to Reef alliance

DIVERS and skippers have formed their own conservation group to consolidate their efforts to protect the Great Barrier Reef.

Divers for Reef Conservation, which was launched last night, has brought together staff from more than 12 different Far North reef tourism companies, including divers, cruise attendants, skippers and marine biologists.

Group founder and co-ordinator Tanya Murphy said the group would empower dive industry staff to do more to protect the Reef.

They plan to carry out activities to clean up, reduce and prevent marine pollution and other threats to the marine environment.

Ms Murphy said this could include working on projects to address plastic pollution, carbon pollution and even sunscreen pollution.

“We want to bring together all the expertise and passions and knowledge of the people who live and work at the Reef every day, to bring it all together to form a group so we can have more of an impact on Reef conservation,” she said.

Ms Murphy, who has worked as a dive instructor for six years, said the group would complement work being carried out by the Association of Marine Park Tourism Operators.

“AMPTO (Association of Marine Park Tourism Operators) is only for the owners and operators but leaves out workers like me,” she said.

“We want to engage more workers who really want to do more to help but some don’t know quite where to start.”