Volunteer scuba divers are gearing up to remove rubbish from Pilot Bay this month as part of Project Aware.

About 20 scuba divers will attempt to clean up rubbish from Tauranga Harbour this month.

About 20 divers will attempt to clean up everything from car tyres and plastic bottles to beer cans, fishing rods and anything else that falls off, or is thrown, from boats on August 23.

Supported by Bay of Plenty Regional Council, New World, Tauranga City Council and Envirowaste – Project Aware Foundation is a collective of scuba divers devoted to protecting the oceans 'one dive at a time”.

The group has been operating for about 20 years, supporting divers acting in their own communities to protect oceans, removing trash from the seabed and protecting marine species.

Tauranga organiser and Dive Zone Tauranga student Chloe Erlston says many people have stepped up to assist with the dive and support work on the day.

'Volunteers don't need to be trained divers and snorkelers can also take part in the clean-up.

'We also welcome free divers. Many of the volunteers are BOP Polytechnic environmental studies students.”

Harbourmaster Peter Buell says the regional council is supporting the work as part of its efforts to care for Tauranga Harbour.

'We all want clean water, wonderful wildlife and plentiful kaimoana in Tauranga Harbour, so it's great to see local divers doing their bit to help to care for the harbour.”

The harbour clean-up is at Pilot Bay on Saturday, 23 August.

BOP Regional Council is paying for disposal of the rubbish collected, TCC and Envirowaste are providing the waste bins and New World is providing food for the divers. Project Aware is providing dive tanks.