December 17, 2008

Reef Check Thailand 2008 Summary

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Submitted by Suchana Apple Chavanich

2008 was a busy year for Reef Check Thailand. A total of 3 Reef Check Training of Trainers (ToTs) courses were conducted to certify new EcoDivers.  In addition, EcoDiver programs were launched in several dive shops located both in the Gulf of Thailand and in the Andaman Sea.  Also, with joint partners Scuba Cat (Phuket dive shop), Big Blue (dive company in Shanghai, China), and Concordia International School Shanghai (CISS), a Marine Ecology Course was offered to 20 CISS middle school students. As part of the course, all students were certified as Reef Check EcoDivers.  In addition, several Reef Check EcoExpeditions were organized in collaboration with the Earthwatch Institute.  Volunteers from all over the world joined the expeditions to help gather data on coral reefs in Thailand.  Community coral reef conservation activities, including training and educational programs to local communities, were conducted throughout the year.