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Western Ecology Tour Expedition Report – Pembrokeshire
Whilst the team were in Pembrokeshire, we were supporting Neptune’s Army of Rubbish Cleaners, a charity run by divers who are passionate on keeping their local dive sites clean. They have been running clean ups since 2005 and were the first underwater clean up group. The team and I were guided by Lloyd Jones and David Kennard, who have been running the operation for several years now. NARC work alongside the local community as they help locate pollution and rubbish that needs to be cleared, a lot of these reports come from local fisherman who lose their gear and take a note of the location to tell the team later. NARC use equipment to aid their team and to maximise their efficiency, from cutting equipment, lift bags, and boat crews to help them in removing as much rubbish as possible. NARC also take a great stance on education and take the time to not only carry out these clean ups but to also educate the local community and public on the importance of clearing debris off our beaches and to pick up any trash you may see whilst diving.
The first day was spent working with NARC and diving a local dive site in the evening. The first dive was at Hobbs Point, and we were given a full briefing about what to expect on the dive and the kinds of rubbish that needed to be lifted from the site. The team were told that there were 12 Oil Drums, Nets, fishing line and a whole assortment of other rubbish, on this dive we were all equipped with net bags for smaller chunks, as well as Lift Bags for lifting the bigger pieces. There were several RIBs on standby to pick up what came up on the Bags and who also waited for our team to surface and bring us back to the dock. We were only working mere feet from the dock, but this was an active shipping lane with a Ferry actually just in from Ireland, unloading no more than 300 metres down.
Dave gave the go ahead to descend and the visibility was no more than 0.5 metres with some of us struggling to see our own hands in front of our faces, let alone seeing our feet or even our buddies. Therefor the work was done through a combination of touch communication, very close signalling and using torches to keep people together. Andy descended and dropped straight into a shopping trolley which he sent up along with nets, other members such as Lloyd, descended onto the Oil Drums with four of the twelve being lifted. There was a lot of rubbish present at this site unfortunately, with it being as easy to find as simply putting your fingertips into the mud and pulling up handfuls of discarded fishing line and lead weights. In total we managed to lift Four Oil Drums, one Scooter, one Shopping Trolley, and four Nets with one of them containing three fish which were saved and released. We also managed to retrieve bags and handfuls of fishing line and lead weights. At this point the team at NARC were due back at this site five weeks later with their goal to retrieve the rest of the oil drums and other large pieces of debris.
The second dive of day one was at Martins Haven, a dive site situated inside the Skomer Island Marine Reserve, during the briefing we were told about what to expect at the dive site and were also told that if we were to remove any Lobsters and Scallops at the site, it would incur huge fines along with the confiscation of our dive gear. The site was truly breathtaking, with large kelp beds that flattened out on to Sand flats that were covered in huge Scallops, some reaching 6 inches in width! There were large Spider Crabs who littered the bottom searching for food and a mate. The turning point of the dive was when the team came across a Pink Sea Fan, something that looked as if it belonged on one of the worlds tropical reefs rather than in the UK’s frigid waters. On the way back in we came across beautiful walls lined with kelp, anemones and barnacles, with copious amounts of Moon and Purple Jellyfish sitting in the surface water.
The final day of the expedition was a single dive at Stackpole Quay, a shallow site with easy access to the water. The crew parked at a National Trust Car Park and kitted up before walking 100m to the shore, some members of the team, including myself, were yet to see a single Catshark during the expedition and we were hoping to see some before the trip came to an end. This dive definitely didn’t disappoint, with many Small-spotted Catshark’s resting amongst the gulley’s and Kelp, some of us counted upwards of 15 Sharks on this single dive. Other sights on this dive were large shoals of Sand Eel and Sprat, young pollock and huge male Spider Crabs which had managed to gather up a number of females and whom fiercely protected them from those who came in to close to take photos. The visibility on this dive was around 3 metres so caution was took to keep close to one another and to ensure that none of us became separated.
After the dive was done, we returned to the campsite for a debrief, not only the final day, but also from the trip, along with a final meal at a local pub.
Surprisingly for some of us, the trip was not quite over as when we arrived in Pembrokeshire, we heard about spaces being available on one of Celtic Deep’s trips, namely their snorkeling trips, on this trip you get taken out to snorkel with Puffins, Razorbills and potentially Seals. There were 2 spaces available on the Saturday and Sunday with 4 of us taking up the opportunity to go out and experience another unseen story and finish the expedition with a bang.
The boat left shore at 9am but everyone had to arrive at 8:30am for briefing before disembarking, the briefing was led by Richard and Nicki of Celtic Deep. Everyone was told about how the trip is to be structured and how to effectively swim with the Puffins and how to get in close to take photos, after the briefing it was a 40-minute steam out to Skomer Island, once moored up we all jumped in off the back the boat and began to slowly approach large amounts of Puffins, Guillemot’s and Razorbills. The birds were a little shy and aired on the side of caution even if they are naturally curious, thankfully one person in each buddy group had a puffin decoy on a string, painted and donated to Celtic Deep by David Millard. These decoys were larger than an actual Puffin, so this of course peeked the Puffins interest, however as the birds approached and a camera appeared from under the water this of course scared the birds away. Nicki and Richard mentioned that the birds were unfortunately a little more skittish than usual and judging by some of their images it shows that the birds do indeed come much closer.
After spending 2.5 hours in the water with the birds it was time for us wll to get out and warm up for an hour before heading to the next site at Skokholm Island, here everyone was told that there was a chance to swim with Grey Seals or as the Skipper Fen calls them, “Maggots”, due to how they move when out of the water and how they look from a distance. Everyone jumped in and the rule of thumb to stick by was to allow the animals to get confident with us all being there and then allow them to come you, after around 2 hours in the water and the animals popping up to have a look at us all at distance it was time to head back to the boat to head back to port. As everyone was exiting a young seal came and approached the group and even grabbed onto cameras with her paws resulting in some truly close shots.
In total the trip with Celtic Deep was truly amazing with some breath-taking encounters and the opportunity to experience something truly wild, the team were professional and incredibly knowledgeable allowing us to truly enjoy a British wildlife encounter unlike anything else.
Expedition WET Summary
In conclusion the UK is almost a hidden gem of diving, many people would argue that going abroad is better. But as our team experienced during the trip, there is some truly breath-taking diving and wildlife encounters to be had, the UK has Sharks, Seals and Nudibranchs that rival that of those overseas. With a wealth of Charities carrying out hard work, experts who lead them, and life that is truly special, it’s difficult to say what the UK doesn’t have to offer for keen Divers and Photographers alike even if you must look that little bit harder to find it.
Not only is diving just as good as places abroad but it’s also easy to access with all the sites described in this report being accessed by simply walking off the beach and taking the plunge. Not only is it easy to access but it’s also better for the environment and our planet by diving local sites rather than only diving abroad. The team may have done a lot of driving during the expedition but in terms of our carbon footprint, it is a mere drop in the Ocean in comparison to getting a flight.
Keep an eye out soon for Expedition WET’s Film, which is currently in production with Ollie Putnam & Andy Clark. It will show more about the projects that were supported, the team, and life that was found during the expedition.
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Green Fins National Workshop Charts Roadmap for Sustainable Marine Tourism Initiatives
Green Fins, the global environmental standards for diving and snorkelling, is set to contribute to Indonesia’s blue economy. A national workshop, focused on “Enabling a sustainable diving and snorkelling industry in Indonesia through the implementation of Green Fins initiative,” has ignited a collaborative effort to safeguard the nation’s marine ecosystems through marine tourism.
The Reef-World Foundation, the UNEP Coordinating Body on the Seas of East Asia (COBSEA) and the Coral Triangle Center (CTC) held the Green Fins National Workshop in Aryaduta Menteng, Jakarta, Indonesia, on 18 – 19 February 2025. This pivotal event, supported by IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) through the Blue Natural Capital Financing Facility (BNCFF), brought together key stakeholders from the Indonesian government, marine tourism industry, conservation organisations and the global Green Fins network to develop a roadmap for strengthening the Green Fins initiative in Indonesia and to explore sustainable financing mechanisms for its long-term implementation.
Participants from five Indonesian ministries, including the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries and the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy, collaborated with local MPA management bodies, dive operators and international experts to chart a course for a more environmentally responsible marine tourism sector. This diverse group engaged in focused discussions and strategic planning, addressed key aspects of Green Fins implementation and explored opportunities for its integration into national marine conservation efforts.
“We’re not just discussing sustainability”, said JJ Harvey, Operations Director at The Reef-World Foundation. “We’re creating a tangible roadmap for action. The energy and collaboration at this workshop have been truly inspiring, laying the groundwork for real, measurable change in Indonesia’s dive industry and unlocking the full potential of its marine tourism while ensuring the future health of its reefs.”
“The Coral Triangle, as the global epicenter of marine biodiversity, relies on Indonesia’s leadership to combat threats through strong coral reef conservation and sustainable tourism practices,” said Rili Djohani, CTC Executive Director. “Expanding Green Fins and scaling up training efforts are crucial steps toward ensuring equitable benefit-sharing and long-term conservation impact of our unique marine resources.”
“Sustainable Blue Economy is at the forefront of COBSEA’s work on marine and coastal ecosystems,” stated Mahesh Pradhan, UNEP COBSEA Coordinator. “Ensuring sustainable practices in marine ecotourism in Indonesia and the East Asian Seas region will further consolidate concrete conservation efforts while also benefiting local communities. COBSEA is proud to support the Green Fins initiative, which was initiated in Thailand over 20 years ago and has now blossomed into a significant global movement.”
Key discussions and explorations during the workshop included:
- Alignment of Green Fins with national policies and international commitments, including the Indonesia 2030/45 MPA Vision, the national biodiversity action plan (NBSAP) and international commitments such as the Global Biodiversity Framework.
- Exploration of a comprehensive roadmap for Green Fins implementation in Indonesia, outlining potential steps, timeline and financial strategies.
- Discussions on diverse financing mechanisms, including public-private partnerships, blended finance models, and integration with existing programmes, to ensure the long-term financial sustainability of Green Fins.
- Emphasis on enhanced collaboration between government agencies, the private sector and conservation organisations.
- A strong focus on inclusivity, including gender-inclusive approaches and support for small-scale businesses.
The workshop highlighted Indonesia’s position as a global leader in MPA-based diving, with 70% of dives occurring within MPAs. Discussions emphasised the need to address challenges such as revenue leakage and high implementation costs while leveraging opportunities to integrate Green Fins into existing government initiatives, such as the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries’ Blue Economy strategy and the Ministry of Tourism’s sustainable tourism programmes. Participants also engaged in a learning exchange, sharing best practices from countries like the Philippines, Malaysia, Japan and Thailand, focusing on developing sustainable funding models and enhancing assessor capacity.
The outcomes of this workshop will both strengthen Green Fins Indonesia and contribute to the broader global impact, driving sustainable marine tourism worldwide.
Discover how your organisation can contribute to the global expansion of Green Fins by contacting info@greenfins.net.
About Reef-World
The Reef-World Foundation is a registered UK charity which delivers practical solutions for marine conservation around the world. The charity promotes the wise use of natural resources – particularly coral reefs and related ecosystems – for the benefit of local communities, visitors and future generations. It is dedicated to supporting, inspiring and empowering governments, businesses, communities and individuals around the world to act in conserving and sustainably developing coastal resources.
Reef-World leads the global implementation of the UN Environment Programme’s Green Fins initiative, which focuses on driving environmentally friendly scuba diving and snorkelling practices across the industry globally. As such, the charity provides low-cost and practical solutions to local and industry-wide environmental challenges associated with the marine tourism industry. It provides education and capacity-building assistance to empower environmental champions (within the diving industry, local communities, authorities and governments) to implement proven coastal resource management approaches.
Please visit www.reef-world.org to learn more or follow us on Facebook, Instagram and X.
About Green Fins
Green Fins is a proven conservation management approach – spearheaded by The Reef-World Foundation in partnership with the UN Environment Programme – which leads to a measurable reduction in the negative environmental impacts associated with the marine tourism industry. The initiative aims to protect and conserve coral reefs through environmentally friendly guidelines that promote a sustainable diving and snorkelling tourism industry. It provides the only internationally recognised environmental standards for the diving and snorkelling industry and has a robust assessment system to measure compliance.
Green Fins encourages and empowers members of the diving industry to act to reduce the pressures on coral reefs by offering dive and snorkel companies practical, low-cost alternatives to harmful practices – such as anchoring, fish feeding and chemical pollution – as well as providing strategic training, support and resources. By reducing the local direct and indirect pressures tourism puts on coral reefs, it helps make corals healthier and more resilient to other stresses, such as the effects of climate change. Look for the Green Fins logo when booking your next dive trip.
Please visit www.greenfins.net to learn more or follow the initiative on Facebook, Instagram and X.
About Coral Triangle Center
Coral Triangle Center (CTC) is a foundation based in Indonesia with regional scope and global impact. Established in 2010, CTC works closely with local communities, private sector, governments, and partners to strengthen marine resource management in the Coral Triangle to protect coral reef ecosystems, ensure sustainable livelihoods and food security.
CTC supports on-the-ground conservation in Bali, Maluku, as well as in Timor-Leste, and leads learning networks of women leaders and marine protected area practitioners in Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, and Timor-Leste. CTC is developing its Center for Marine Conservation in Bali as an integrated learning space for training programs, outreach activities, interactive exhibits, and artistic and cultural performances to influence millions of people to care for our oceans and those who depend on it.
Since its establishment in 2010 until 2024, CTC has protected more than 435,000 hectares of critical marine habitat. We have trained more than 8,000 people to support marine protected areas and sustainable fisheries management throughout the Coral Triangle region. More than 26,000 people have visited our Center for Marine Conservation, many of whom have been inspired to take direct action to protect our oceans. In the last three years, we reach an average of 200,000 people annually to care for our seas via our social media channels.
About UNEP COBSEA
The Coordinating Body on the Seas of East Asia (COBSEA) is a regional intergovernmental mechanism and one of 18 Regional Seas Programmes. It is the decision-making body for the East Asian Seas Action Plan, bridging together nine countries – Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Republic of Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, Singapore, and Viet Nam – in the protection and sustainable development of the marine and coastal environment for the health and well-being of present and future generations. The COBSEA Secretariat is hosted by Thailand in Bangkok and is administered by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
COBSEA works on 1) marine pollution prevention, reduction and control, 2) marine and coastal biodiversity, ecosystem conservation and management, and 3) climate action.
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