At a glance
- This is a volunteer opportunity with Projects Abroad. Devxchange will assist you in choosing the right fit, raising funds with your own campaign page, issuing tax receipts to donors if project meets CRA criteria as a charitable activity. Devxchange will also assist you in onboarding with Projects Abroad.
- Work alongside scientists to protect one of the most endangered marine animals on the planet.
- As a research assistant you’ll join survey dives and identify different species in their natural marine habitat, all whilst gaining a PADI diver certification.
- Rated as thebest for sustainable travel in Fiji by Lonely Planet
- Based in the Pacific Harbour, you’ll live alongside like-minded volunteers in shared accommodation, exchanging stories and creating new memories that will last a lifetime.
Details
- Get your PADI diving certification
- Data collection
- Mangrove reforestation
- Awareness and sustainability initiatives
Includes/Excludes
Food and accommodation
- Food (three meals a day)
- Airport pick-up and drop-off
- Full induction and orientation by an experienced staff member on arrival
- Transport to and from your work placement
- In-country support and 24-hour back-up from our team of full-time local staff
- Emergency assistance from our international emergency response team
- Project equipment and materials, including access to our database with thousands of resources
- Training and workshops from our experienced local staff
- Regular social events and community activities with other volunteers and interns
- Access to our local office with internet connection
- Certification of project completion
- Access to our alumni services and discounts
- Visa support and advice
- Fundraising support, including your own personalized fundraising website with DevXchange
- Tax Receipts for your donors if activity meets CRA criteria for charitable activity.
- Pre-departure preparation by your own specialist Volunteer Advisor
- Personalized MyProjectsAbroad website, with all the information you need about your project, accommodation and destination
- A free cultural awareness course
- Membership to our volunteer social media groups, to share information and to get in touch
- Support to help you complete registration or internship documents, if applicable
Not Included
- Flights
- Visa Costs (where applicable)
- 10% Admin fee for donations involving tax receipts.
Itinerary
Our shark conservation volunteer project is perfect for adventurers and thrill-seekers with a passion for nature, marine life, and the outdoors.
If you’re interested in a career in marine conservation, working with sharks is a great fit for you. You’ll be working with and learn from some of the top minds in marine biology. You’ll gain practical, hands-on experience in marine conservation, which will add valuable skills to your CV. The programme will also give you unique points to talk about in applications and interviews.
No experience? Don’t worry! You’ll receive full training in your first two weeks to gain your PADI Open Water Diver certificate. This Projects Abroad experience is thrilling but entirely safe. You’ll always be supervised by expert diving instructors from our highly respected dive partners, Beqa Adventure Divers. Their safety record on shark dives is 100%.
You can work with sharks in Fiji year round, so you can join whenever it suits your schedule. You can volunteer for a minimum of two weeks, but we recommend staying longer to have an even greater impact.
The aim of this project is to protect the shark population in the ocean around Fiji. We started our Shark Conservation Project in Fiji in January 2014 in response to the declining shark population in this area. The Fijian government has identified shark protection as a top conservation priority. Although marine protected areas have been set up to address the decline in shark numbers, the population continues to decrease.
“Sharks are more vulnerable today than ever before.” – Boris Worm, Professor of Biology, Dalhousie University, Canada
As one of the top predators in the marine food chain, sharks play a vital role in this ecosystem. The extinction of sharks would have devastating consequences for both marine life and humans. Without sharks, a destructive chain of events would lead to an increase in algae, which would choke coral reefs and eventually kill them.
If coral reefs die, thousands of species will lose their habitat. This would take away a major source of income for local fishermen and a primary food source for Fijian locals.
To ensure we’re working towards long-term goals to tackle these issues, we’ve created a Conservation Management Plan for Fiji. Some of our objectives in this plan include:
- Collecting data on marine life to inform conservation policies
- Planting mangroves to create the first carbon-neutral resort in Fiji
- Raising awareness about conservation and the importance of sharks
- Promoting sustainable living in local communities
Join us as a shark conservation volunteer in Fiji and help us work towards achieving these goals.
This is a typical week, following the completion of your dive course. Days are split into morning and afternoon shifts depending on number of volunteers. A typical day will run from 7am to 4pm, Sunday to Thursday. All your activities will be supervised by trained local professionals, including qualified marine biologists.
Sunday: Survey day
Morning: Survey dives. Going to different spots to record sightings of different species (Sharks, Rays, Fishes, etc.)
Afternoon: Office work like data entries, workshops, preparing for other activities.
Monday: Mangrove day
Morning: Mangrove workshop or Survey Dive Workshop (Species ID)
Afternoon: Mangrove nursery preparation, maintenance, seed collection, planting and reforestation work.
Tuesday: Community day
Morning: Workshop about conducting surveys in the community. Occurrence of Wedgefish/Guitar Fish and other shark species in the Coastal Waters of Vitilevu.
Afternoon: Village visit to conduct community surveys, BRUV drops and tagging when finding species.
Wednesday: Survey day
Morning: Survey dives. Going to different spots to record sightings of different species (Sharks, Rays, Fishes, etc.)
Afternoon: Office work like data entries, workshops, preparing for other activities.
Thursday:
Morning: Shark dive (every two weeks)/Beach clean up/Cultural workshops
Afternoon: Office work, volunteer meeting
Pacific Harbour
On this project, you’ll be based in Pacific Harbour, known as the ‘adventure capital of Fiji’. This popular tourist area is on the south coast of Viti Levu.
You’ll spend most of your time contributing to marine biology research projects during scuba dives off the coast of Pacific Harbour, in the renowned Beqa Lagoon and the Shark Reef Marine Reserve. You’ll also be helping with conservation and awareness efforts of marine wildlife in coastal communities.
In your free time, there’s plenty to do. Seeking more adrenaline? There’s kayaking, ziplining, and white water rafting. The island also has great hiking among breathtaking waterfalls and lush rainforests. If relaxing is more your thing, Pacific Harbour has some of the finest, white-sand beaches on the island.
Food and accommodation
You’ll share accommodation with other Projects Abroad volunteers and interns during your stay in Pacific Harbour. This is a great way to get to know your fellow volunteers and interns, share experiences, and explore your surroundings in your free time together.
The accommodation is safe, clean, and comfortable. Your programme fees include three meals a day.
Free Time and Leisure Activities
Experience the beauty of the South Pacific while volunteering with us in Fiji. This tropical island country has plenty of activities and must-see sights for you to enjoy in your free time.
We can’t talk about Fiji without mentioning the beaches. With their soft, white sand and clear, blue seas, they are the ideal place to relax and wind down after a day of volunteer work. With the beaches come a bunch of other exciting activities, like water sports and snorkelling.
For a culture-rich experience, you can explore the bright, rainbow-coloured Sri Siva Subramaniya Temple. You can also spend time wandering through art galleries or browsing through stunning handmade pottery in Nadi.
The Kula Eco Park gives you the opportunity to see local plants and animals. For thrill seekers, they also have a zipline going through the park!
You can explore all these different sights on your own or with a group. With so many volunteers joining us in Fiji each year, you’re bound to make some new friends to travel with.
