Eco Diving

Marine Conservation volunteers in Split have the unique opportunity to provide support to underwater clean-up efforts, helping to reduce sea pollution and conserve marine life.

As an ocean conservation volunteer, you’ll be using and improving your scuba diving skills while being actively involved in restoring the natural state of the marine ecosystem of the Dalmatian region and the wider Adriatic Sea.

The program is open to beginners without any diving experience; however, volunteers will have to gain dive certification before engaging in any type of underwater conservation activities. The Program Fee covers the cost of the required online and in-person training, full scuba equipment, and volunteer supervision from an experienced dive instructor.

All volunteers complete internationally recognized SSI (Scuba Schools International) diving certifications. The diving certification you complete will depend on your current diving experience and the length of your stay. The courses range from Suba Diver through to Open Water Diver, and specialties such as Marine Ecology and Fish Identification. The project works with a local diving school, therefore you are always supervised by an experienced dive instructor.

Depending on the time of the year you are coming, after you conclude your certification or during your volunteer period you also can join a scuba diving club on an underwater cleanup weekend on remote places around Split and make a bigger impact helping the local clubs with their mission of cleaning and protecting the sea and marine life.

All volunteer efforts on the project work towards the vision of healthier oceans, thriving ecosystems and a clean coastline - all driven by an aware and inspired community. As part of this, your tasks as a volunteer can include collecting trash from the sea, logging information on items collected, learning more about the marine ecosystem and how to protect it, and observing and identifying fish.

Please note in your application when you apply for the program if you have any existing dive certifications. If you do have certifications already, you will need to send a copy of these along with your diving log book through to our local team in Split - Croatia prior to your program starting. All volunteers are also required to provide a medical certificate which clears them for diving.

After the initial orientation day, you will have a morning, afternoon or evening shift at the Marine Conservation placement and will work for approximately 3 to 5 hours per day. 

A typical schedule is as follows:

07:00 - 10:00 a.m. : Breakfast at the volunteer accommodation

10:00 a.m. :  (1) Travel to the Marine Conservation place to join the local staff and begin work on your project or

                       (2) Explore the city, relax, attend Croatian language lessons or enroll other activities if you have an afternoon project.

01:30 p.m. : Lunch is served at the accommodation. In the morning you can grab a “packed lunch” to have in the city or at your placement.

02:00 - 07:00 p.m. : (1) Travel to the Marine Conservation place to join the local staff and begin work on your project or 

                                   (2) Explore the city, relax, attend Croatian language lessons or enroll other activities if you have a morning project.

08:00 - 10:00 p.m. : Dinner at the accommodation. After dinner you will have the remainder of the evening free to relax and use as you wish.

Situated in the middle of Kozjak and Mosor mountains and surrounded by the Adriatic Sea, just a few hours from any of the other European capitals, the small peninsula where Split is located has a lot to offer to every visitor and traveller.

Croatia, as a Balkan nation is a must stop country for anyone who chooses to visit eastern Europe in a meaningful way. On the one hand a rich historical heritage full of monuments classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, on the other a country that is still recovering from a political war, in the group of countries with the highest number of people living below the poverty line.

With charming old cities and towns, gorgeous beaches and more than thousand islands, its history has resulted in a very rich cultural diversity which was brought from Roman and Turkish, so Mediterranean and eastern European influences. These historical heritages mark the different regions of Croatia. Between Istria, Dalmatia and the center of Croatia, the gastronomy, lifestyle and accents can change a lot, making the country very diverse and interesting. Split, the second biggest city, has a specific Mediterranean influence that makes it especially welcoming, cosy and warmer. With its palace just on the seaside, Split brings a peaceful and fresh atmosphere that invites you to come and stay for a while.