| 1 |
Dive carefully in fragile aquatic ecosystems, such as coral
reefs. |
6 |
Resist the urge to collect souvenirs. |
| Although, at first, they may look like rocks or plants, many
aquatic organisms are fragile creatures that can be damaged or harmed by
the bump of a tank, knee or camera, a swipe of a fin or even the touch
of a hand. It is also important to know that some aquatic organisms, such
as corals, are extremely slow-growing. By breaking off even a small piece
you may be destroying decades of growth. By being careful, you can prevent
devastating and long-lasting damage to magnificent dive sites. |
Dive sites that are heavily visited can be depleted of their
resources in a short period of time. Collecting specimens, coral and shells
in these areas can strip their fascination and beauty. If you want to return
from your dives with trophies to show friends and family, you may wamt
to consider underwater photography. |
| 2 |
Be aware of your body and equipment placement when diving. |
7 |
If you hunt and/or gather game, obey all fish and game laws. |
| Much damage to the environment is done unknowingly. Keep
your gauges and alternate air source secured so they don't drag over the
reef or bottom. By controlling your buoyancy and taking care not to touch
coral or other fragile organisms with your body, diving equipment or camera,
you will have done your part in preventing injury to aquatic life. |
You may be among the group of divers who get pleasure from
taking food from the aquatic realm. If you engage in this activily, it
is vital taht you obtain proper licensing and become familiar with all
local fish and game rules. Local laws are designed to ensure the reproduction
and survival of these animals. Only take creatures taht you will consume.
Never kill anything for the sake of killing.
Respect the rights of other divers who are not hunting. Avoid spearfishing
in areas that other divers are using for sight-seeing and underwater photography.
As an underwater hunter understand your effect on the enviroment. |
| 3 |
Keep your diving skills sharp with continuing education. |
8 |
Report environmental disturbances or destruction of your dive sites. |
| If you haven't dived in a while, your skills (particularly
buoyancy control) may need sharpening. Before heading to the water, seek
bottom time with a certified assistant or instructor in a pool or other
environment taht wonÄt be damaged by a few bumps and scrapes. Better yet,
take a diving continuing education course such as PADI Scuba Review, teh
PADI Adventures in Diving course or a PADI Specialty Diver course. |
As a diver, you are in a unique position tp monitor the health
of local waterways, lakes and coastal areas. If you observe an unusual
depletion of aquatic life, a rash of injuries to aquatic animals, or notice
strange substances or objects in the water, report them to local authorities,
such as the local office of the Environmental Protection Agency or similar
organization in your country. |
| 4 |
Consider your impact on aquatic life through your interactions. |
9 |
Be a role model for other divers in diving and nondiving interaction
with the environment. |
As every diver soon learns, very few forms of aquatic life
pose a threat to us. In fact, some creatures even seem friendly and curious
about our presence. As we become bolder and more curious ourselves, we
may even fell compelled to touch, handle, feed and even hitch rides on
certain aquatic life.
However, our actions may cause stress to the animal, interrupt feeding
and mating behavior, introduce food items taht are not healthy for the
species or even provoke aggressive behavior in normally nonaggressive species. |
As a diver, you realize that when someone tosses a plastic
wrapper or other debris overboard, it is not out of sight out of mind.
You see the results of such neglect. Set a good example in your own interactions
with the environment, and other divers and nondivers will follow suit. |
| 5 |
Understand and respect underwater life. |
10 |
Get involved in local environmental activities and issues. |
| Through adaption to an aquatic environment, underwater life
often differs greatly in appearance from life we are used to seeing on
land. Many creatures only appear to look like plants or inanimate objects.
Using them as "toys" or food for other animals can leave a trail of destruction
that can disrupt a local ecosystem and rob other divers of the pleasure
of observing or photogrphing these creatures. Consider enrolling in a PADI
Underwater Naturalist or AWARE Fish Indentification course. |
You may feel you can't save the world, but you can have a
great impact on the corner of the planet in which you live and dive. There
are plenty of opportunities to show your support of a clean aquatic environment,
including local beach cleanups and attending public hearings on matters
that impact local coastals areas and water resources. Know all sides of
the aquatic environmental legislative issues and make your opinions known
at the ballot box. |
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