Diving is a sport that, at its core, is extremely respectful of marine life. Divers dive to appreciate the magic of aquatic flowers and animals and thrive on pristine dive sites. Any diving lesson will show you the skills and the theory, but also the ‘underwater etiquette’ that can guide your behavior in the water.
Diving is the sport in which fans are more aware of the delicacy of habitats and more respectful of the environment.
Additionally, dive swimming areas have flourished in the world’s oceans for decades. They have learned to preserve their resources to maintain a regular income from the scuba swimming industry. However, scuba swimming can have a negative effect on the environment.
The first obvious example is the carbon footprint of the flights it takes to get to amazing dive sites and let’s not forget the fuel used on the dive boats. These boats are propelled by gas and sometimes neglect the place where they drop anchor, thus damaging the seabed, especially the seagrasses that serve as a refuge for countless species.
Some divers can have a massive impact which is very negative. Although buoyancy control is taught within any particular dive certification, some divers have difficulty maintaining their relaxed position while diving. They then come into contact with the reef, the corals and the sandy bottom and can strongly disturb or even sink this fragile ecosystem.
Fins are the most common source of reef destruction. Divers should stay a reasonable distance from vegetation and go to surface level with a level of control. Corals are living beings, there is no flora. These live animals are protected from infection by a thin deposit of mucus that is destroyed by human contact. Also, the oil present on human skin is harmful to them. Suntan cream is also a problem, as many of them are not environmentally friendly.
Another negative action underwater is feeding. Attracting a cloud of fish or a giant grouper by providing them with food is a great feeling. However, it is not part of the natural food chain where species prey on others, therefore creating this crucial balance that the seas need to survive. The fish stay close to the reefs because they have learned that they feed daily and therefore will not seek out their natural food source.
Thirty years ago, some resorts expanded terribly fast before any controls were put in place. Jetties have been built on the reef to provide easy access for snorkelers and snorkelers. Walking paths directly over the reefs have damaged them forever.
Fortunately, things have changed and dive resorts have accepted the importance of protecting their resources. Some countries like the Maldives are positively dependent on tourism and the scuba swimming industry is a big part of their national earnings. More data on diving holidays can be found.
Scuba diving is about enjoying the best of the seas and therefore a great sense of respect is needed so that generations to come can continue to dive in pristine and flourishing waters.
