PADI® and its global non-profit, the PADI AWARE Foundation™, are celebrating a landmark year for ocean conservation, highlighted by a historic victory at the 20th Conference of the Parties to CITES (CoP20).
The PADI AWARE Foundation was in attendance to represent the global diving community, which was a driving force in helping to secure strengthened international protections for some of the ocean’s most threatened and iconic species, while driving conservation impact across marine habitats worldwide.
“PADI continues to demonstrate what’s possible when passionate divers, professionals, and partners unite behind a shared mission,” says Kristin Valette Wirth, Chief Brand and Membership Officer for PADI Worldwide.
Historic CITES Win: Whale Sharks and Manta Rays Receive Highest Level of Protection
At CoP20, governments voted to uplist whale sharks, mobula rays, and oceanic whitetip sharks to Appendix I—the strongest available protection under CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora). This action ends international commercial trade of these species, addressing decades of population decline and giving critically threatened sharks and rays a chance to recover.
Parties also approved Appendix II protections for gulper sharks and smooth-hounds, closing loopholes that have allowed unsustainable exploitation of deepwater and coastal sharks to continue.
“Countries have recognised the urgent need to strengthen protection for sharks and rays, and we welcome the decisions at CoP20,” says Ian Campbell, Associate Director of Policy and Partnerships at PADI AWARE Foundation and the representative for the NGO during CoP20. “The challenge now shifts from agreeing rules to delivering results, ensuring these commitments lead to measurable recovery in the ocean.”
This win follows the results of the 19th meeting of CITES in Panama City in 2022, where government representatives agreed to restrict international trade for all requiem sharks, one of the biggest families of species, all hammerhead sharks, and all guitar sharks, adding an extra 60 species to the list of shark species protected by CITES on Appendix II. PADI AWARE was in attendance to represent the global dive community.
To ensure progress continues when it comes to protecting these vulnerable marine species, PADI is officially launching the Global Shark and Ray Census in partnership with Blancpain in 2026. This citizen science initiative will deliver real-time data on shark and ray sightings that will be used to advocate for continued global protections – and is set to be the largest of its kind.
Protecting vulnerable marine species is a core component of PADI’s Blueprint for Ocean Action, with the established goal of reducing the number of sharks and rays facing extinction by 25%. With this most recent win at CoP20, PADI has now helped secure protection measures for over 100 species of sharks and rays.
Over USD $1M Granted to Empower Community Conservation
Since its launch in 2022, PADI AWARE’s Community Grant Program continues to provide financial support to be an accelerating force behind impactful, locally led conservation initiatives. Now totaling over USD $1M in funding for grassroots projects advancing ocean health, grantees include initiatives such as large-scale debris removal, community-based MPA planning, coral restoration innovation, and youth ocean education.
The most recent grantees in 2025 are supporting locals in Mozambique and Indonesia to become certified divers to empower careers in marine conservation, removing invasive species in Australia, accelerating coral and fish recovery in Fiji, removing marine debris in Malaysia, increasing biodiversity in Mexico and providing educational opportunities in Thailand
Expanded Marine Protection and New Research Shows MPAs Could Generate Billions for Coastal Economies
In 2025, PADI deepened global efforts to safeguard critical habitats by advancing Marine Protected Area (MPA) establishment and contributing to groundbreaking new research demonstrating the economic value of ocean protection.
A major peer-reviewed study—developed through a three-year collaboration between National Geographic Pristine Seas and PADI’s global network of 6,600 Dive Centers and Resorts—revealed that expanding full protection at popular diving sites could generate an additional USD $2.7 billion annually for the scuba diving industry. The study found that divers are not only willing to pay more for access to thriving MPAs, but that increased protection would significantly regenerate biodiversity and biomass, boosting dive tourism and creating new long-term revenue streams for coastal communities.
This research also underscores the growing impact of Adopt the Blue™, the world’s largest network of conservation action sites. Supported by founding partner Blancpain, Adopt the Blue activates local dive communities to identify, advocate for, and support future MPAs—directly contributing to ecosystem regeneration and sustainable local economies.
To date, there have been 3,440 dive sites adopted and monitored around the world by PADI Members, which provide critical data that help predict bleaching events and advocate for more MPAs.
A More Inclusive, Accessible, and Engaged Diving Community
PADI continued to invest in ensuring that the magic of the underwater world remains accessible to all. This year, two PADI events ensured that new communities were able to take their first breaths underwater, including:
- The 11th Annual PADI Women’s Dive Day brought together tens of thousands of divers in more than 100 countries—continuing to narrow the gender gap in diving participation.
- PADI Adaptive Diving Week expanded global awareness and training opportunities, celebrating the divers and professionals who are reshaping what is possible underwater. This was on the heels of PADI’s Dive For Peace event with the Cyprus Paralympic Committee, where 17 athletes from around the world took their first breaths underwater.
Lighting the Torch Into 2026
2025 has been a pivotal year for ocean conservation, with PADI showing that meaningful change requires both bold global leadership and billions of ocean advocates who take local action.
Solidifying this was PADI’s CEO + President Dr. Drew Richardson being named to the Worthy 100 list, in which he was celebrated for his efforts to empower the global diving community to take local action for global impact.
“As we move into 2026, which is the organization’s milestone 60th anniversary, we will continue to keep our torch lit and inspire the world to seek adventure and save the ocean together,” says Valette Wirth.
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