Guardians of Kuwait's seas: Kuwait Dive Team inspires nationwide culture of marine conservation
Beneath the surface of Kuwait's shoreline, boats, ships, and yachts once lay broken and buried — remnants of a war that scarred both land and sea. In 1991, just after the Iraqi invasion, a group of volunteers dove into the water to begin reviving those sunken vessels. That first mission marked the beginning of the Kuwait Dive Team — a grassroots movement that has spent more than 30 years salvaging over 900 marine objects, removing tons of waste and protecting fragile coral reefs.
Today, the team comprises 30 to 50 active members, most in their mid-thirties, united by more than a love for the sea. 'What keeps us going, whether in the cold, the heat, or even in harsh, dusty conditions, is a deep sense of national and environmental duty,' said Waleed Al-Shatti, Vice President of the team. 'This environment isn't ours alone; it belongs to all of humanity. What we do is not just for Kuwait, but for the world.'
To carry out their wide-ranging missions, team members undergo rigorous certification through accredited diving programs. Many are trained in specialized techniques such as night diving, current diving and underwater search and recovery. This expertise allows them to respond quickly and effectively — whether rescuing a stranded vessel, conducting semi-weekly sea patrols or clearing marine hazards.
While much of their work is closely coordinated with state institutions, the public also plays a key role. Fishermen, divers and boaters frequently report oil spills, abandoned fishing nets, or signs of illegal activity — tip-offs that often prompt rapid interventions.
Yet the team's impact goes far beyond emergency response. Education and community engagement are central to their mission. With a marine conservation curriculum now adopted by Kuwait's ministry of education, students are introduced to the importance of environmental stewardship from an early age.
National beach cleanup campaigns, run in partnership with the ministries of social affairs and education, have brought together thousands of volunteers - Kuwaitis and expatriates alike, including Indians, Pakistanis, Filipinos and others - fostering a shared sense of environmental responsibility.
In addition to awareness efforts, the team leads several proactive environmental projects, focusing primarily on the protection of Kuwait's scarce coral reefs. Al-Shatti emphasized their ecological importance in filtering seawater, producing oxygen, sheltering marine species and acting as natural wave barriers.
To monitor reef health, the team partners with Queensland University in Australia. The data they collect - on coral color, water temperature, and reef conditions - is shared with international environmental research databases.
Visual storytelling is another powerful tool in their strategy. Through underwater photography, short films and printed educational materials distributed in schools, the team highlights the beauty of Kuwait's marine ecosystem, aiming to inspire a culture of care.
On the international stage, the team proudly represents Kuwait at marine conservation exhibitions, sharing expertise and collaborating with environmental organizations around the world. Their efforts have not gone unnoticed: the Kuwait Dive Team has received repeated global recognition, including winning the Global Energy and Earth Prize two years in a row - outperforming more than 400 international competitors.
Kuwait Dive Team lifts three tons of waste and debris from coral reefs off the southern island of Qaruh.
Kuwait Dive Team successfully removes an abandoned fishing net.
Kuwait Dive Team monitoring coral reefs.
Kuwait Dive Team lifts nets from Um Deera reef, north of Qaruh Island.
Kuwait Dive Team removes abandoned fishing nets in Bnaider.
Kuwait Dive Team replaces and installs cables on the island of Kubbar as part of a maintenance project.
Kuwait Dive Team rescues a shark entangled in a net.
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