About Our Oceans Matter
Our Oceans Matter was founded in Singapore in 2025 as a marine education and reef-restoration initiative built on one simple idea: scuba diving can be more than a recreational activity. It can be a way to learn, contribute, and support ocean conservation.
Our work brings together professional dive education, marine science, and hands-on reef restoration. Through our programmes, we help divers and ocean lovers better understand coral reefs, the threats they face, and the long-term work needed to restore and protect them.
Our programmes include reef-restoration education, marine ecology classes, conservation diving experiences, reef monitoring, coral nursery maintenance, marine-life observation, and citizen-science activities.
Much of our field-based work takes place in Les Village, North Bali, where local fishermen, who are now our conservation partners, have been working for more than two decades to restore reefs damaged by past destructive fishing practices. Here, participants can learn from a real community-led restoration journey while supporting ongoing reef monitoring, maintenance, and education efforts.
In Singapore, our work focuses mainly on reef-restoration consultancy, marine surveys, project planning, and research-based support.
By connecting marine science with practical field experience, we hope to create meaningful opportunities for people to better understand the ocean and play an active role in protecting it.
Operational Note
Our Oceans Matter is the Singapore-based counterpart of PT Laut Kita Berarti in Bali, Indonesia.
Singapore-based consultancy, marine survey planning, project development, and research support are carried out through Our Oceans Matter, Singapore.
Bali-based marine education, conservation diving programmes, reef monitoring, coral nursery maintenance, and field activities in Les Village are conducted through PT Laut Kita Berarti, Indonesia, in collaboration with local partners, communities, and conservation organisations.
Meet Our Staff
Denise Ann McIntyre
Director, Singapore
Denise is the founder of Our Oceans Matter, a marine educator and dive professional based in Bali, with a background spanning scuba instruction, dive-centre management, coral research, reef restoration and marine biodiversity consultancy. After beginning her career in the dive industry, she transitioned into marine science at the National University of Singapore, completing a BSc (Hons) in Life Sciences and contributing to published research on coral biodiversity.
Septian Damara Adhianto
Director, Indonesia
Before moving to Luxembourg in 2019, Damara was a professional divemaster in Tasik Diver, North Sulawesi and Octopus Dive, Nusa Penida. He is currently working in a financial service industry in Luxembourg servicing one of the world’s biggest alternative asset managers while also acting as a board member of PT. Laut Kita Berarti. His passion with marine conservation combined with his experience as a professional diver, he’s now bringing his expertise in corporate governance and board management skills to support the operation of PT. Laut Kita Berarti
Meet the fishermen of Sea Communities
We acknowledge the Indigenous/adat peoples of Indonesia, especially those from Buleleng, north Bali, where our work takes place.
Pak Eka
Director, Sea Communities
Biography Coming soon.
Pak Gombal
Chief Fisherman
Biography Coming soon.
Komang Ngurah
Divemaster, Coral Nursery Maintenance
I was born and raised in Les Village, and I still live here to this day.
In 2003, when I was only five years old, I was already able to snorkel and see the incredible variety of marine life beneath the sea. However, I did not see many fish or much coral because, in the past, local fishermen used potassium cyanide to catch ornamental fish. They had been poisoned by the potassium cyanide.
Without realising it, this fishing method caused severe damage to the marine environment. Fortunately, they eventually found much better and, of course, more environmentally friendly methods.
I grew older, and the coral reefs slowly began to recover and grow again. The fishermen who had once contributed to damaging the environment did not simply stand by. They also took part in planting corals to restore the damaged underwater ecosystem.
Today, the coral reefs in my village are growing well, and there are many more fish. I even frequently encounter sea turtles, which I had never seen when I was snorkeling or diving in the past.
Now, I work at Sea Communities, where one of the programs is coral reef restoration. I work here as a diving guide, and I really enjoy my job because I can work while helping to restore coral reefs and make new friends.
It is a wonderful experience to meet and share stories with people from all over the world.
Ketut Anten
Divemaster, Coral Nursery Maintenance
Saya ketut anten wadana, mengikuti jejek masyarakat setempat yang terdahulu, yang melakukan aktifitas yang merusak alam, sekarang udah mulai di sadari betapa pentingnya terumbukarang, untuk kehidupan, maka dari itu saya ikut berperan serta dalam pelestarian alam kususnya bawah laut terumbu karang, dengan adanya komunitas laut nusantara yang konsen terhadap lingkungan bawah laut saya ikut serta membantu membuat data, monitoring, dan guide diving.
Translation: I am Ketut Anten Wadana. In the past, I followed in the footsteps of people in my local community who carried out activities that harmed the natural environment. I have since come to understand how important coral reefs are to our lives. Because of this, I now take part in nature conservation, especially the protection of the marine environment and coral reefs. Through Komunitas Laut Nusantara, which focuses on protecting the underwater environment, I help with data collection, monitoring, and guiding divers.