How To Minimize The Environmental Impact As A Diver

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"The deep sea is the largest museum on earth, it contains more history than all the museums on land combined, and yet we're only now penetrating it."- American Navy Officer Robert Ballad

The ocean will always have magic that attracts us into it. That is why many people are into diving and exploring the deep sea- whether you are a simple diving enthusiast or a scientific diver taking an advantage of a real-time monitoring spotter buoy. Once you dive into the water, you are in a new world full of wonders and surprises.

It's sad that marine life is at significant risk of environmental changes and is fragile. Human activities have gravely affected the ocean, and we will all suffer if we do not end the damage happening to the sea. Threats such as climate change, plastic pollution, and overfishing continue to take their toll on marine life. If we do not protect the sea, we will eventually lose its rich biodiversity and our main source of oxygen. Yes, scientists estimate that 50 to 80 percent of Earth's oxygen production comes from the ocean.

Here are some tips on how to be an eco-friendly diver.

Choose your dive company well.

There are a lot of dive companies out there that will offer you a memorable diving experience. Make sure to support a dive company that does business responsibly. Check out their website or social media page to see if they carry any certificates and follow the standards like Green Finn. Find out if they have good sustainable policies and are committed to marine life conservation projects.

Plan the things that you will be bringing.

Whether on vacation or for research purposes, plan what you will carry with you as you travel to the ocean. Try to lessen your carbon footprint by bringing reusable water bottles, cutleries, straws, and bags. You may also bring reef-safe shampoo and soap. Choose your sunscreen too! Some sunscreens are toxic when mixed with ocean water because of the product's chemical compounds, such as Oxybenzone and Octinoxate. These chemicals harm the corals and cause bleaching, even in small doses. Opt for a natural and ocean-safe sunscreen.

Behave responsibly in the water.

Once submerged in the ocean, ensure that you do not interfere with marine life. Do not touch or step on the corals! These corals only grow a few centimeters every two or three years. Holding or stepping on them will result in broken corals, which will need decades before they are restored to full health again. If you want to remember the experience, you may bring your camera with you to document the beauty underneath the sea.
Do away with feeding the fish as well. While it may seem a harmless idea, it can change the fishes' behavior. The fish may stop hunting and lose the ability to catch their prey, and eventually starve. Aside from that, if the fish is feeding on algae, it may stop because of the new food source, leaving the algae to grow and creating a disbalance in the marine ecosystem.

Watch what you take home.

Speaking of the ocean as a big ecosystem, prevent yourself from taking anything as a souvenir (whether dead or alive)! Everything in the sea is connected and has a role to play. You may think that getting a shell will not impact anything, but hermit crabs and small fishes may lose their home. These shells also serve as a protection of octopuses and other creatures against predators. Shells and other dead organisms also serve a purpose in the decomposition process in the sea. Some experts even say that removal of shells can impact shoreline erosion patterns.
Do not support and buy from dive shops that sell anything made of marine life so that we do not encourage the harvesting of marine creatures for souvenir items.

Make every dive a chance to clean debris.

Wherever diving sites you go to, there will always be debris or trash pieces. That is the unfortunate truth- as big as the ocean is, we have managed to pollute it so much. While we cannot get all the debris underwater, a small act of getting the trash you see can make a difference. Bring it to the shore and dispose of it properly. You may even influence your fellow divers to do the same. Through this, you get to have fun and preserve marine life as well.

In conclusion

The ocean is the only one we have. Once it is gone, we cannot undo the damages we have done to it. This vast ecosystem has always welcomed us to explore its beauty and enjoy its produce. As divers, be accountable for ensuring that this paradise is not threatened and exploited. Enjoy and explore the ocean without ruining it.