[Coral-List] Media Advisory: Communities unite to protect underwater world

[Sherry Flumerfelt]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 24, 2004
*** Photos Available***

Contact: Sherry Flumerfelt
Phone: (415) 834-0900 ext. 306
Email: divein at coral.org
Website:  http://www.coral.org/divein

COMMUNITIES AROUND THE WORLD UNITE TO PROTECT THE
UNDERWATER WORLD:  Dive In To Earth Day 2004
activities underway

San Francisco, CA - People across the planet are
gearing up for the fifth annual Dive In To Earth Day
event that will take place during the week of
Earth Day, April 22, 2004. In Fiji, the nephew of
a local chief is busy planning a village festival
to celebrate the launch of a new marine reserve.
In Florida, a local community group is preparing
to remove fishing line from nearby reefs. In Italy,
schoolchildren are painting pictures of marine life
to take part in a nationwide art contest. In Cambodia,
a local dive shop is preparing for a series of reef
surveys.

The Coral Reef Alliance (CORAL) coordinates "Dive In"
each year to ensure that the 72 percent of the planet
covered by water is not forgotten during the annual
Earth Day celebrations. People are invited to organize
And participate in a wide range of activities to help
protect underwater ecosystems. Each year, celebrities
such as William Shatner, Leonardo DiCaprio, Tanya
Streeter, and Peter Benchley join in the celebrations.

Dive In To Earth Day has been a great success from the
start, generating over 20 percent of all registered Earth
Day activities worldwide. In the past four years, Dive In
organizers have held 874 marine conservation events in 83
countries and territories around the world, including beach
cleanups, mooring buoy installations and children's education.
Most of the Dive In activities have focused on coral reefs,
of which more than 30 percent may die in the next 30 years
if human threats are not reduced.

WHAT: Beach and underwater cleanups, marine festivals,
fundraising events, reef surveys, aquarium exhibits, and
other marine conservation activities organized locally by
community members and businesses.

WHERE: In more than 80 countries and territories around the
world (go to http://www.coral.org/divein to post your activity
or find activities in your region).

WHEN: During the week of Earth Day - April 22, 2004.

ORGANIZER: The Coral Reef Alliance (CORAL) http://www.coral.org

CORAL is a San Francisco based non-profit organization dedicated
to keeping coral reefs alive around the world. CORAL coordinates
Dive In To Earth Day in partnership with Project AWARE Foundation,
and with the support of West Marine, Air Pacific, Earth Day Network
and the International Coral Reef Action Network (ICRAN).

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