Green Fins

Lore & Background

Green Fins was established in 2004 as an initiative by the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) and first implemented by the Secretariat of the Coordinating Body on the Seas of East Asia (COBSEA). It was initiated and coordinated by COBSEA's secretariat as part of efforts to increase public awareness and improve management practices for the conservation of coral reefs and associated marine ecosystems such as seagrass beds and mangroves. The initiative is spearheaded by the UK charity The Reef-World Foundation, which serves as International Coordinators, assisting countries with capacity-building and technical assistance under UNEP direction.

Dive centres and snorkel tour operators sign a membership form pledging to adhere to a 15-point Code of Conduct. Trained Green Fins assessors visit members annually to assess compliance, provide consultations for improvement, and deliver environmental training to all staff. Members receive printed materials including Green Fins icons that visually outline best practices for divers and snorkellers, available in many languages. The Reef-World Foundation developed the Green Environmental Assessment Rating System (GEARS), which uses a green/yellow/red rating system based on weighted scores to measure success of objectives and isolate industry-wide problems.

Each of the 15 active member countries is autonomous, running the approach according to their own government targets under the supervision of a Network Leader, usually a government staff member from a relevant department. The initiative is free to join, and members are expected to continually improve their management policies to adhere to the Code of Conduct and protect the marine environment.

Reader's Guide

Green Fins is notable as a structured, government-linked approach to reducing the environmental impacts of marine tourism, particularly scuba diving and snorkelling. Its significance lies in its combination of a voluntary code of conduct, annual assessments, staff training, and a results-based monitoring system (GEARS) that allows for simple tracking of industry-wide problems. The initiative has expanded from its 2004 start in Thailand and the Philippines to 15 active member countries across Southeast Asia, the Caribbean, and the Indian Ocean, with Egypt adopting it in 2019. The Reef-World Foundation's role as International Coordinator, along with UNEP backing, provides a framework for capacity-building and technical assistance. The Green Fins website, launched in January 2014, offers a platform for members, coordinators, and the public, including downloadable educational materials and a search tool for tourists to find environmentally rated dive operators. Spin-off projects such as 'Say No to Plastic' campaigns, shark awareness programs, and the Green Fins Ambassador Program (first run in the Philippines in 2012) further extend its reach. A research paper on the approach was published in the journal Ocean and Coastal Management in June 2013, lending academic documentation to its methodology. The initiative's legacy is its practical, scalable model for integrating environmental standards into the tourism industry without cost barriers to operators.

Did You Know?

• The code of conduct consists of 15 points designed to tackle the most common and detrimental effects of scuba diving and snorkelling on habitats.
• The first Green Fins Ambassador Program was run in 2012 in Puerto Galera, Oriental Mindoro, Philippines.