Even before assuming ownership of Dive Rarotonga in 2018, Neil Davison knew that he wanted to operate a dive shop with a purpose; to protect local biodiversity and restore coral reefs. “Back when the purchase of Dive Rarotonga was still going through, I worked in Madagascar for a year as Dive Safety Officer with Reef Doctor, a British NGO.” explains Neil. “Based in the Southwest of Madagascar they are focussed primarily on reef conservation alongside many other community projects within the local villages. It was an eye opening experience for me with regards to what is happening to reef systems but also what can be done.”

On moving to Rarotonga, freshly inspired by the work he had been involved with in Madagascar, one of the first actions Neil took was to seek permission from multiple authorities to install a coral transplant project on the island. “After around a year of waiting, permission was granted and we finally got our first frames installed in late 2019 which proved remarkably successful.” 

Turning Covid into a Conservation Opportunity

Then came the global pandemic. “Covid and global lockdown stopped a lot of things in their tracks, and had a significant effect on the number of dive tourists who could reach our island. However, we were very fortunate to be Covid-free in The Cook Islands and this meant we were able to focus a significant amount of time on our transplant project during those two years while everywhere else had stopped functioning”.

Even after Covid restrictions calmed down and tourist numbers picked up, it wasn’t all plain sailing. “In 2022, our coral structures took significant damage when the island was hit by the surge from the Tongan eruption. Two frames were completely gone, and two were recovered but completely smashed. Thankfully, our fragments are still growing well on the recovered frames and our intention now is to build and install replacement frames later this year”. 

Protecting Coral Reefs with Mooring Buoys

Dive Rarotonga knew that defending the local reefs would not just be about restoration, but also about protecting what is still intact. Establishing mooring buoys became a priority. “Six years into this learning process, we have just received permission to install six fixed moorings on the Western side of the Island which has been dived from anchored vessels for over 40 years. Permission for these was a two year process but patience has paid off and they will be installed this year. Overall support for these has been incredible, but following the process, although essential, has been time consuming.”

Neil continues “Frustration has been quite prevalent throughout both the mooring buoy and coral projects, with time constantly passing with nothing to show for it. But if you’re working towards any similar projects, have a plan and stick to it. Extra hurdles appear and you must get over them and not give up.”

Getting Involved with PADI AWARE and Green Fins Programs

In 2023 Dive Rarotonga looked to PADI AWARE Foundation for international recognition of their coral restoration site. “We chose to join PADI AWARE’s Adopt the Blue network and “adopt” our coral restoration site”. In doing so, “Coral Frames” (-21.200200, -159.762000) was placed on the global map for all to see at atb.padiaware.org/actionmap.

As soon as the opportunity presented itself, Dive Rarotonga also became one of the world’s first Green Fins Digital Members. “With Green Fins, we completed a thorough self-assessment of our operations, and it reaffirmed to us that we were on the right track with our existing sustainability approach” explains Neil. “Beyond that, it also helped to identify further steps that we could put into our action plan for 2023 and keep improving our environmental performance at the dive shop. The Community Forum has also been a useful place to look for new ideas and find out about eco initiatives that are already working well for other dive businesses.” 

Regenerative Tourism with PADI Distinctive Specialties

Back in 2018, Neil had started working on five PADI Distinctive Specialties based on the coral restoration work he had experienced in Madagascar. Developing the content to equally apply to the Rarotonga coral restoration site, Neil’s plan is for these courses to underpin a regenerative tourism approach. By engaging guests in coral conservation education and hands-on monitoring, the funds from each course can directly support the conservation initiative financially.

“Having produced five Distinctive Specialties aimed at our coral restoration efforts over the years, we can run them all on our transplant site. Once rebuilt, we’ll be able to involve our students in the monitoring and maintenance of it, with the courses effectively funding the restoration project. It’s still very early days on that aspect of it but it’s one way that we can facilitate our ability to continue”.

Thanks to Neil’s long-term sustainable business plan and his team’s unwavering dedication to conservation over a number of challenging years, in April 2023, Dive Rarotonga was recognized as the Cook Island’s first PADI Eco Center, and one of the first across the entire Pacific Ocean. Neil speaks to other PADI operators, “We’re all diving businesses and with that, we must make commercial decisions. Endless spending on conservation projects isn’t a healthy business model, nor is dedicating all your staff and resources to them. But by being open minded and learning from your own experiences, and the experiences of other eco-minded dive businesses out there, it’s possible to find new ways of doing things that are not only good for business, but good for the ocean too.” 

In order to become a PADI Eco Center, each PADI operator has joined PADI AWARE’s Adopt the Blue network and demonstrated an exemplary level of environmental performance through The Reef-World Foundation’s Green Fins initiative. To learn more about PADI Eco Center and the steps you can take at your dive business to begin or continue your sustainability journey, check out the links below. 

PADI Eco Center Launches on Earth Day
Understanding PADI Eco Center: How To Demonstrate Exemplary Environmental Performance

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Conservation, AWARE, Cook Islands, Green Fins, PADI Eco Center, save the oceanPADI Pros