10 Tips - How Divers Can Contribute to Protecting the Seas

Underwater plants and animals are more fragile than they appear. The swipe of a fin, bump of your camera or even a touch can destroy decades of coral growth, damage a plant or harm an animal. Streamline your scuba and photo gear, keep your dive skills sharp, perfect your underwater photo techniques and continue your dive training to fine-tune your skills. Always be aware of your body, dive gear and photo equipment to avoid contact with the natural environment.

New scuba divers are being trained and certified every day. Regardless of your experience level, be sure to set a good example for others when interacting with the environment – while underwater and on land. 

Nearly everything natural found underwater is alive or will be used by a living creature. If you take a coral, shell or animal, you can disturb the delicate balance and add to the depletion of dive sites for future generations.

Choose not to touch, feed, handle, chase or ride anything underwater. Your actions may stress the animal, interrupt feeding and mating behavior or provoke aggressive behavior. Understand and respect underwater life and follow all local laws and regulations.

It is sad to see what kind of litter / waste invasion even the world's most remote seas are under. Wastes cause great damage to our health and economy by killing the natural life in their environment and damaging the living spaces.

Therefore, every time you dive, when you see a waste that does not belong to that environment, take it out, or inform the authorities. As a conscious consumer, choose environmentally friendly products and environmentally friendly businesses; Support local producers and businesses with your purchases and try to consume less if possible (*)

(*) By choosing Diving Centers that are entitled to receive the PADI Green Star certificate for your dives, you will reward them.

An increasingly serious problem in the world is the endangerment of some marine species and underwater ecosystems due to over / untimely hunting. As a consumer, you also have some responsibilities. If you like to eat seafood, choose species caught in accordance with sustainable fishing methods. Do not hesitate to take a step beyond your own sensitivity in this regard and to warn and raise awareness of your friends, other people and businesses that offer these products.

(*) Turkey in particular: some fish out of season hunting or fishing of certain small live under that kind of size (for example, Bluefish) leads to endanger. As for the Kaş region, our region has been declared a Marine Protected Area and the marine ecosystem, including amateur fishing, is under protection in a large part of our region. If you see any behavior contrary to this, we ask you to inform us immediately.

Scuba divers are some of the strongest ocean advocates on the planet. Now, more than ever, divers like you are taking a stand. Speak out for conservation, share your underwater images, report environmental damage to authorities and campaign for change.

Make informed decisions when choosing and visiting a destination. Choose facilities dedicated to responsible social and environmental business practices that include water conservation, energy reduction, proper waste disposal, use of mooring buoys and respect for local cultures, laws and regulations.

Global warming and ocean acidification are putting your favorite animals and the whole ocean planet at risk. Do your part by understanding and reducing your carbon footprint and look for ways to offset what you can’t reduce.

Ocean protection depends on all of our actions, large and small. Investing in the ocean protects our planet and lets the dive adventure live on. Donate or fundraise for ocean protection to fuel the grassroots action and policy change necessary to ensure a clean, healthy ocean planet.