As divers, it is a given that we possess a love for the ocean. From the calm tranquillity and mysterious depths to the stunning landscapes and diversity of
life; the ocean is a source of wonder, escape and pleasure. But what do we give back in return? How have humans impacted the natural world and what
can we now do to help restore it?
We have curated 3 unique workshops, designed to teach about the environments and species key to Malta’s marine ecosystems. Each workshop is
designed around our conservation projects, so you can get hands on experience in research and conservation work alongside our Marine Biologist. Read
more about our conservation projects here or see our workshops below..
Sea Turtle Conservation and Marine Litter
Marine litter is closely connected with sea turtle conservation. Loggerhead turtles rescued by Nature Trust Malta are often reported as having ingested plastic / fishing gear, or become entangled in it. Our islands are lucky enough to have nesting beaches for the loggerheads, one of the most successful being here on Gozo! Join our workshop to learn about these topics and get involved with protecting these endangered marine animals. Read more about our marine litter and sea turtle projects here.
What Will you do?
- Two unique lectures about the biology, ecology and history of sea turtles, and how they are under threat from human activity.
- Conduct a clean up dive – learning to use lift bags to safely remove heavy items and log data on the debris you collect.
- Visit Gozo’s turtle nesting beach to learn the procedures carried out by NTM to ensure the safe nesting and hatching of loggerhead turtles.
- Includes SSI Sea Turtle Ecology Specialty Certification and online resources.
Pre-requisites: Minimum Open Water but can be adapted for non-divers upon request.
Seagrass Conservation
Neptune seagrass (Posidonia oceanica) is a vital organism that is the foundation to life in the Mediterranean sea. It can create a complex, thriving ecosystem and is the reason for our crystal clear waters. We have a lot to thank Posidonia for, but it is often overlooked. Change the way you see this habitat forever by joining this workshop. Read more about our seagrass conservation here.
What Will you do?
- A lecture exploring the ecology of Mediterranean seagrass meadows.
- A dive to conduct seagrass health assessments and learn how to read the growth of a meadow.
- A dive to carry out replantation techniques using Posidonia shoots
Pre-requisites: Open water with 10 logged dives. If you have less than 30 dives you must have gone on a dive recently (6 months or more recently) before doing this workshop. If you are less experienced diver we recommend taking the Peak Buoyancy course before this workshop to help protect our seagrass meadows from damage.
Native Fish and Invasive species
Knowing more about the species you see on dives will enhance your future experiences. How to identify species, understanding why different organisms may interact, and learning how to find the more hidden animals are skills you will carry with you into every dive. This workshop also gives you a unique chance to try out being a scientific diver, learning about our Invasive species research project and joining our Marine Biologist on a survey dive. Read about our Invasive species research here.
What Will you do?
- A lecture about behaviours, biology and identification of local species
- A lecture on invasive alien species; how they got here, what impacts they are having, and what we are doing about it?
- A dive to practise identifying species, and learning how to observe them through a scientific lens.
- Try out being a diving research assistant in our invasive species research project, practising techniques and methodology we use in our surveys.
- SSI Fish ID certification and online resources.
Pre-requisites: Open water with 10 logged dives. If you have less than 30 dives you must have been diving recently (6 months or more recently) before doing this workshop. If you are less experienced diver we recommend taking the Peak Buoyancy course before this workshop to help protect our marine habitats from damage.
