Around 80% of Chilean divers (roughly 72,000 people) have reported having Decompression Sickness (“The Bends”) at least once as a result of their occupation. Decompression Sickness causes hearing loss, neurological disorders, and even death. We deliver gear maintenance programs at no cost to divers. Currently, we serve 15 fishing unions, through which we deliver programs to over 400 divers per year.

La Fuerza del Buzo works with communities to identify and address their development and capacity needs. Currently, La Fuerza del Buzo is working on two community-identified projects: (1) an internship program to support high school students, and (2) scholarships that go towards student opportunities for higher education.

Divers in Chile have been managing near-shore marine resources for decades. Now, the impacts of global change, including rising sea surface temperatures and large-scale industry, are affecting the sustainability of the ecosystems on which they depend. La Fuerza del Buzo works collaboratively with divers and seaweed harvesters to identify research needs and create actionable research that can inform future marine resource management and conservation initiatives.