Diving for sharks

Dive Otago instructors Chris Zinsli (left) and Levi Healey do ''breath holds'' to raise money for non profit organisation Project Aware's Fin-A-Thon, a global event designed to raise awareness about the fight to stop shark finning.

Mr Zinsli said Dive Otago staff had raised more than $1500 and for every $10 the two Dunedin instructors raised, they promised to hold their breath underwater for a minute. The $800 the instructors raised required 80 breath holds.

The holds got easier the more you did, Mr Zinsli said.

Dive Otago recreation manager Emma Young said to try to stop the cruel practice of shark finning, she raised $220 by swimming 25km at Moana Pool over 10 days.