North Bay teen diving to make a difference, raising awareness of SF bay's delicate ecosystems

TIBURON, Calif. (KGO) -- ABC7 News Anchor Dan Ashley introduces you to a 16-year-old high school student from Tiburon who is using her passion for scuba diving to raise awareness and money to protect the delicate ecosystems of the San Francisco Bay.

Avery Fisher took up diving during the pandemic and, after diving many times in the giant tanks at the Aquarium of the Bay at Pier 39, she is helping to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars to educate the public and support the work and the mission of the Aquarium.

Her afterschool activities come with an oxygen tank.

The underwater world at the San Francisco Aquarium of the Bay gives Avery a breathtaking view of what she first discovered here as a little kid and is now determined to protect.

"It's just a testament to the aquarium and all of the work that I've done here. I think it definitely holds more of an emotional value knowing that this is a place I grew up in and that I can make this amount of difference. And I hope that if people that have that kind of connection back home that they'll be able to do the same," she said.

MORE: Aquarium of the Bay provides a lens into ocean health for 25 years

Since 1996, the aquarium has given visitors an up-close view of the San Francisco bay and it's unique marine habitat.

But two years ago, a spending scandal and accusations of mismanagement by the CEO, who was forced out.

Since the house cleaning- the turn-around is well underway.

"It's been going well. We'd love to get more guests in the building, of course, to see what we have. I think it's really unique that we get to show people what's in the bay. Basically in their backyard that they don't normally get to see," said Noel Fong, curator at San Francisco's Aquarium of the Bay.

Avery first got to see what the aquarium had to offer when her dad first started bringing her as a little kid. When she took up scuba diving in a big way during the pandemic, he saw her passion and got behind it.

A tech entrepreneur, Jon Fisher, Avery's dad, is now president of the aquarium's new board, which I serve on as well.

DAN ASHLEY: "What's the message to other parents and other young people about what they can accomplish?"

JON FISHER: "We are allowing our kids the freedom to try to make a dent in the world, even though it's not the easiest thing to do. So she is reinventing herself and I am following along as quickly as I can."

Fong said, "she's been a great ambassador for the aquarium, bringing a lot of attention and she really enjoys being here, which is great. I very much have that same passion as her so I really enjoy working with her and getting to see all that she's doing out there, and all of the great conservation work that she's into.

DAN ASHLEY: "I think it's so important for young people to get the message that, 'hey, you can make a difference. You don't have to wait for quote, unquote adults to take the lead.' What is the message you would send your colleagues about making a change, making a difference?"

AVERY FISHER: "Yeah, I think definitely when I started at a really young age doing this, a lot of people were not going to get it, not going to understand what you're doing and how special it could be."