What not to do when you're diving!

Hi Sea Fans!

Diving is a great sport and it's the best way to see some of the most amazing creatures on this planet.  The only problem is that some people don't respect the underwater world, before, during or after diving! 

A shoe polluting the reef. Photo: Marco Care/Marine Photobank

Trampling a reef.  Photo: Georg Heiss/Marine Photobank

I've been lucky enough to dive in quite a few beautiful places around the world and so often, I see traces of us humans disrespecting nature.  From pollution to broken coral.  It's really sad and if we don't do something about it, who will?  So please Sea Fans, when you dive please:

• don't harrass the animals (hold on to them, chase them etc.)
• don't take shells home that could be a potential home for a hermit crab or other animal
• don't break the coral
• don't hold onto the coral
• don't litter (leaving any part of your dive gear on the bottom of the ocean is also littering, it doesn't have to be a plastic bag)
• don't knock the coral with your camera

Lots of people don't realise that they are damaging anything because they're so busy looking at the beautiful underwater world that they don't feel their fin scrape over a reef.  Make sure you have good buoyancy control before swimming over reefs and through overhangs and caves!

Thanks Sea Fans, this will make a huge difference if you can all stick to this and make sure your friends and family stick to these rules too.

Cheers
Abby
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