20.03.2023.
The 3rd Scuba Diving Conference was held in Split, the topic of which was the importance of sea protection as a precondition for preserving its biodiversity and ecosystems. An important role is played by the divers and their clean-up actions, which was recognised by the Environmental Protection and Energy Efficiency Fund.In the last five years, grants were used to finance more than 50 of similar actions. “Scuba diving drives are so much more than just clean-up of the seabed. Regardless of the selfless efforts of the divers, each of these actions requires the engagement of the local community and helps raise the awareness of environmental protection;” said in the panel on Ecology Ojdana Rajić Azinović from the Public Relations Department of the Fund. She pointed out that as part of the public call for co-financing the projects of civil society organisations, special focus was on the seabed clean-up projects, and the number of applications was increasing year-on-year. “The Fund will continue supporting the projects focused on raising awareness of environmental protection, and active involvement of citizens in the specific projects implemented in their local communities,” said Rajić Azinović.
Many experts who participated in the congress organised by the agency Plava promocija, talked about the advantages of scuba diving, and the fact that its full potential had not been used as one of Croatia’s best and most profitable tourism attractions. Andreja Vedrina, the CEO of Plava promocija pointed out that the aim of the congress was to raise the awareness of the public about the important issues in scuba diving, especially regarding ecology, safety, and tourism.
The last day of the congress was marked by the Eco patrol/Dalmatia clean-up drive of the seabed, with the divers cleaning the seabed at three locations – Split, Solin and Povlja on Brač. The drives were organised by scuba diving clubs: HRVI Nemo-Adriatic, Nemo-Brač and Plava promocija agency, with endorsement from Municipality Selca and Tourist Board of the Town of Solin, under the sponsorship of the Environmental Protection and Energy Efficiency Fund.
