We are thrilled to announce that Ahmed Fouad, Director of RED SEA PROJECT™, has been honored with the Ocean Torchbearer Award by the PADI AWARE Foundation and published in the 3rd Quarter 2024 issue of the Undersea Journal Magazine. As a dedicated dive professional and ocean advocate, Fouad is passionate about promoting conservation within local communities and among divers visiting the Red Sea. His RED SEA PROJECT™ has become a catalyst for positive change in this incredible ecosystem through a combination of research, citizen science, and community engagement.
In 2022, the PADI AWARE Foundation® partnered with the RED SEA PROJECT™ to encourage divers and snorkelers worldwide to monitor marine turtles. This collaboration, supported by the PADI AWARE community grant, has led to significant achievements: over 4,000 divers from 45 PADI and non-PADI dive centers participated, and 30 PADI Instructors completed a distinctive specialty course on turtles, enhancing their skills and knowledge.
With the support of the PADI AWARE community grant, we conducted 437 snorkeling surveys and 162 scuba diving surveys in turtle feeding grounds. Through these efforts, we identified and tracked 180 marine turtles, documenting 5,576 turtle encounters, all meticulously uploaded to our database. Currently, we are processing these reports, with data analysis reaching 47.5 percent.
The increase in both the size and quality of the data collected has allowed our researchers to conduct more in-depth analyses of the local turtle population. This data, when correlated with environmental information, promises to provide a clearer understanding of the factors influencing turtle behaviors. By integrating PADI AWARE educational materials and programs into almost all our activities—from coral health assessments to Dive Against Debris®—we aim to collaborate closely with PADI AWARE and PADI to protect our oceans.
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