Ocean Conservation and Ocean Spirit

Implementing conservation measures in a scuba diving centre can be incredibly satisfying. We started in 2017 by joining PADI Aware, which set out the guidelines for Ocean Conservation. But once you become aware of the parameters, it becomes a life-long effort to follow a conservationist narrative, and it begins with setting up the internal measures for good governance.

Ocean Spirit has invested in satisfying the requirements of the scuba diving fraternity who are in the top 1 percentile of the global population. Mostly degreed, mostly conservationist, family oriented generally poverty averse and pro-active. Directors of companies, lawyers, doctors, academics IT wizards, teachers and professionals. These are people who love diving, love the ocean, and love to give back to the environment.

As a diving centre we follow the basic laws of business:

If I do this who will I harm. It easy for moneyed people to storm ahead with a private agenda, while unknowingly crushing a smaller business in the same area.

Who will benefit beside my company? It's wise to ensure that the local community also benefits from your activities.

Is it cost effective, because if there is no profit motive, there is no business. You need to make a reasonable profit, be goal oriented, and still keep the first 2 laws in mind.

Ocean Spirit promotes Ocean Conservation with monthly donations to PADI Project Aware. We have a PADI Green Star, we have won the Lux life Travel and tourism award as most Educational Ocean Awareness and Conservation Centre for 2023 and 2024. We have established an MQA registered Training centre, and we are persuading local Mauritians to explore the ocean with our hugely successful Discover Scuba Diving programs.

Discover Scuba Diving in Pereybere

How do we assist our neighbours?

Several of the local businesses are not internet aware, so we add their businesses to Google Maps, and promote them on our Facebook pages.

Guy Garou has a traditional pirogue, and he offers mangrove and snorkeling tours. He is conspicuous on Pereybere beach for his magnificent golden hat, his incredible hospitality, and sharing his magnificent home with his friends.

Pat n Joe can be seen on Pereybere beach every single day with their speed boat tubing, water skiing and paddle board rental business on the beach. Pat is one of the hardest working women I have ever met, and she knows exactly how to please her clients.

Glass bottom boat rides, pedallos, Snorkelling trips- Pat n Joe have it all.

Reef Conservation

Ocean Spirit added the banking details of REEF CONSERVATION to articles by Jill Holloway in international magazines, in order to provide sustained financing for their conservation projects, and over the years we have promoted the conservation efforts of other tourist enterprises in the international

diving press

Bis la Mer visits schools throughout Mauritius and shares the marine conservation message.

School children on a field trip to learn about the importance of planting mangroves

Eugene Vitry, head of Bis la Mer

Jean Michel Pitot, the conservation aware CEO of the Attitude Group of resorts and hotels, CEO of Green Attitude and winner of the Tourism Award 2024 for his Conservation efforts in Mauritius.

Ocean Spirit offers free diving to marine biologists. We keep a daily record of marine sightings which we share with Reef Conservation, We have Supported EPCO, the NGO tasked with recording Turtle populations in Mauritius, also supported The Tap Water Revolution with Karuna Rama and The War on Plastics.

Ian Haggerty professional video blogger on a beach cleanup

Ocean Spirit with team rubbish collections

We support the protection of reef fish and Marine animals through dissemination of informational videos on YouTube and articles in Diving Magazines.

youtube.com/@oceandivermu

We installed a Tap Water Cooler and Filter with refillable bottles for our diving clients.

We use only re-usable bottles cups and containers.

We employ 7 staff, and we take care of our neighbours and local suppliers and clients first. We buy the best local products from registered suppliers, and we encourage local businesses to follow our ethic through our social media pages and publications. We support Brand Mauritius vigorously and with positive publicity.

We promote inhouse training and development among our staff, who have now been with us for many years and grown up the scuba diving career ladder from Tank Carrier to Tech Officer, from Skipper to Dive Master. We employ 2 ladies in client relations and 5 diving staff.

Conservation practices are not easy. Some initiatives are more difficult to promote that others. We hope the conservation message is now in the hands of Joanna Berenger, who has already started to make waves.